The Outsiders 2 Moving On
by LiveOnTheEdge
Summary: Ponyboy always knew he could count on his brothers and friends, but now Johnny and Dally are gone. He might need someone else in his life. He might need something more. Please R&R.
1. Moving On

The Outsiders 2  
  
It was a cold day outside but I didn't mind. I was too busy wondering how I was ever going to get all this homework done over spring break and watching my back for any Mustangs or Corvairs. I don't know what I am so worried about though. The Socs (the west side rich kids, who beat up greasers like me for kicks.) haven't bothered us half as much as they used to. My buddy Two-Bit Mathews told me to still watch it though, actually he said 'Those dirty, lying; cheating Socs are still the same as they ever were.' He then proceeded to call them every unprintable name under the sun that he could think of or make up.  
  
I was hoping I would make it home by 7:00 but I had my doubts. My brother Darry told me that if I wasn't home by dark every night he and Sodapop would come and look for me and if I was by myself, fooling around they would skin me. It gets dark around 7:00 now though, and it was almost dark outside. I heard a loud horn honked behind me and I felt my stomach jolt to my throat and turn into ice. It was a black mustang; at that point I wished to myself I had a blade. My only plan was to make a break for it. So I kept walking but hurried the pace slightly so only I would notice, praying silently that they wouldn't stop. They didn't, but a tall blonde with a good build stuck half his muscular body out the window and yelled,  
  
"GREASER!!" I knew it was a Soc. Partly because he was dressed in a madras shirt and didn't have his hair greased, and also because that's the term they use for us poorer boys on the East side of town. I don't mind living on the east side of town. When you live on our side though, you don't have much. We are known for our reps and our hair. My hair, the same as all greasers, is my pride. It is light brown, almost red, longer than most boys my age wear theirs and greased back into a cowlick at the back of my head. We are pretty wild but not the Soc type of wild, like jump greasers and each other, have river bottom parties and wreck houses all for kicks. Nope greasers are more likely to hold up gas stations, have gang fights and drive old souped up cars. Which is better I couldn't tell you. It's based on the opinion of a person. I would never pull any of that stuff though because ever since my parents died in an auto wreck two years ago I have been living with Darry and Sodapop. If I ever got in trouble with the cops I would probably get put in a boy's home.  
  
I was still about two blocks from home, and I started thinking about Sodapop and I hoped he was the only one home when I got there. He always stuck up for me around Darry. Suddenly the sight of our blue Ford pickup at the four way stop not thirty feet away from me broke into my thoughts. Oh, no I thought to myself what I could do; I couldn't tell Darry I had gotten detention at school for mouthing off to a teacher. So I decided to just let him holler at me, I won't give an explanation. The truck stopped and my second oldest brother Sodapop stuck his head out the window. "Get in the truck, Pony!" He half yelled, in a tone I very rarely hear from my happy-go-lucky brother.  
  
I got in and he stepped down hard on the gas, making us fly through the stop before any other cars even realized we didn't stop. I looked at Sodapop; he had a hard look on his face. He reminded me of a movie star. He had long, silky golden blonde hair that even though he greased it back often fell into his face, until he combed it back again. He had dark brown eyes that were lively and dancing. They told you he was listening and that he understands. I didn't know if I should ask Sodapop what happened to Steve, they were best buddies since grade school and Soda looked pretty mad. Sodapop suddenly turned to look at me but only briefly, and then as if he read my mind he said, "Steve got in a fight with some Socs after work. Two-Bit called me from a payphone we are going to go and help him out. You dig Pony?" He said not looking at me, but at the road.  
  
"Yeah, those Socs could use a good beatin'" I said but highly doubted to myself they would still be there. Knowing them they probably beat him up and ran off. The truck suddenly stopped so suddenly I got whiplash,  
  
"Glory Soda, warn me next time your going to do that!" I said rubbing my neck  
  
He wasn't listening; he was in a cold hard daze. His eyes were wide and when I looked to see what he was looking at I realized why.  
  
Steve was walking up the street, supported by Two-Bit. He was limping slightly and had his hands in fists. He had a large gash over his left eyebrow which made blood stream down his face. His shirt and jeans were covered in blood and dirt. People who were passing on the streets were staring at them with disgusted looks on their faces. Soda muttered under his breath and jumped out of the car at a dead run leaving the car running and the door open. He grabbed Steve into a hug that displays his personality best. Steve winced but didn't push away. I thought to myself as I got out of the car too, that they really are the best of friends.  
  
Two-Bit was leaning against the wall and it was obvious that he too had been in the fight. He also had blood on his shirt and a hole ripped into the knees of his jeans. Soda let go of Steve and mumbled just loud enough for us to hear, "Come on, you can lay over at our house tonight." Steve nodded and we all climbed into the truck. On the way home everyone was silent except for Steve who kept grabbing his side in pain.  
  
When we walked into our house I wasn't surprised to see Darry in our arm chair with the newspaper. As we walked in he jumped up and saw Steve. His expression changed to something I couldn't place. I guess it was closest to surprise, why wouldn't he be surprised though. I ran over to the couch and pushed my school books onto the floor. We do a pretty good job of cleaning up for a couple boys. Steve was going to have a rough night I thought as Darry informed us he cracked a rib, but he was with and we were like family to him. 


	2. Shelby Sugarcane

Chapter 2  
  
When I woke up Saturday I couldn't believe that I had slept through the noise of the house. I could tell that Two-Bit was there, everybody was laughing. I heard yelling laughing the TV, the radio and of course forks and knives scraping across plates. I used my elbows to prop myself up as I rolled out of bed and walked groggily into the living room. As I walked through our peeling doorway a raw egg flew past my face and hit the wall behind me. I didn't need to see who it was, it was Two-Bit. I looked over at him as he walked towards me.  
  
"Sorry Pony, guess it just...slipped." Two-Bit grinned He walked over to me and grabbed me under the armpits and swung me over the back of our couch, so that I landed hard on the comfy cushions. He leaned over the back so I could see him; he had this grin that can make you grin no matter what. He had deep gray eyes that were hilarious in themselves and rusty coloured side burns which, like every greaser I know, he is proud of. He likes fights, blondes and shoplifting. After he walked away I sat up looking around, since I hadn't had much chance to. The whole gang was here; well it's not really a gang. Well whatever we are there are 5 of us, me, Darry, Soda, Steve and Two-Bit. There used to be seven of us, but our buddies Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston died almost a year ago now. Johnny was my best buddy I ever had; he had died in the hospital when he busted his back saving kids with me out of a burning church. Dallas Winston- Dally was a tough hood who had a record at the station a mile long. He got drunk, stole, lied, cheated, jumped little kids and held up stores. He had nothing to love but Johnny, and when Johnny died Dally couldn't take it. He had been in a rumble that night even though he had a burned arm, you got to respect that. After the rumble when Johnny died, Dally was shot down by the fuzz and he died that night knowing the Greasers beat the Socs in an all out rumble. I was pretty racked up emotionally after they had died, one night had taken away two of my best buddies and you don't get used to that fact overnight. Suddenly Darry shoved a plate of chocolate cake at me.  
  
"Oh, uh thanks Dar," I stuttered. I suddenly remembered Steve limping down the street, Two-Bit supporting him.  
  
"Darry, where's Steve?" At those words being said, as if an idea had struck him he spun on his heels to face Steve and Two-Bit wrestling on the floor.  
  
"Hey cut it out you two!" Darry yelled pulling Soda off of Two-Bit by his armpits. "Steve is trying to sleep!" So Soda and Two-Bit had to content themselves with arm wrestling.  
  
Darry sort of laughed as I got up from the couch, trying not to spill my cake. He ran at me and pushed me, as I fell over the back of the couch he grabbed my ankles attempting to pick me up. But before he did I went into a hand stand, he Soda and Two-Bit laughed at me. We all knew how to do gymnastics after Darry spent the whole summer teaching them to us. They did get us into some trouble though and we did try to show each other up often. But I guess that's what you get when you find friends who are like brothers.  
  
I sat down at the table where I knew I wouldn't get attacked anymore. Just as I sat down the table shook as Sodapop slammed his and from what I heard that meant that Two-Bit was paying for our tickets to the Nightly Double tonight. "Fine!" Two-Bit exclaimed to Soda, "But I aint paying for nobody's popcorn!"  
  
"Yeah, I know," Soda said "You want to come to the Nightly Double Darry? Two-Bits paying."  
  
"No," Darry said slowly and I knew what was coming "you know I got to work today little buddy..."  
  
"What about you Pony, you wanna come?" Soda asked turning to me while Two- Bit reached into his pocket looking for money.  
  
"Sure," I answered through a mouthful of cake "what else you two doing today? Bumming around I s'pose."  
  
"Most likely" Two-Bit answered, "Speakin' of bumming, I better go bum some money off my mom before she goes to work, see ya'll around!" Two-Bit said while he grabbed his jacket and slammed the screen door.  
  
"Yeah, I got to get going too, ill be home at six o'clock, and try to clean the place up a bit ya hear?"  
  
"Me and Pony will clean it up before we leave." Sodapop said volunteering me.  
  
"Alright, and be quiet, Steve is still sleeping in my room." Darry said as he picked up his tool belt and walked out the door in the same fashion as Two-Bit.  
  
I finished my chocolate cake quickly then went over to do the dishes while Soda went to go and get the broom. I was going through the dishes really quickly because there weren't that many. I looked at Soda who was sleeping and thought to myself how incredibly lucky we were that we didn't have carpet. Imagine the stains we would have. Steve suddenly walked slowly out of the room, dragging his feet with every step. Soda noticed but he didn't stop sweeping while he talked to him. "Hey Hey Hey Stevie! How are ya?" Sodapop exclaimed.  
  
"I've been better," Steve said which was obviously true. He had a Band-Aid over his gash and through his surprisingly clean, unbuttoned DX shirt he had put bandages over his ribs. He also had bandaged up hands.  
  
"...and Two-Bits paying, so you want to come?" Soda asked while he leaned on the broom.  
  
"Oh, I don't know Soda; I feel kind of dizzy and all..." Steve said, I looked at Soda and his face fell. He had obviously been hoping he would come with us. Just then Two-Bit came running into the room, letting the door once again slam behind him.  
  
"Hey guys you want to come with me to the train station?" Two-Bit asked grinning.  
  
"Why are you going to the train station?" Sodapop asked  
  
"Cause my cousin is coming down to live with us until her dad gets out of the cooler." He answered simply. "I think her names, uh Shelby something or other."  
  
I remembered Shelby she had lived here when I was twelve and she was the same age. Her mom had died when she lived here and then she moved to New York. I liked her just fine, but I didn't really remember her much. Too much happened over the past year to remember little things like that.  
  
"Yeah," I said eager to go somewhere I hadn't been in a while "I'll go, how bout you Sodapop?"  
  
"Ok, but Steve I guess you ought to stay here until-"  
  
"No time to talk, we got to go now if ya'll are coming." Two-Bit said cutting off Soda.  
  
"Alright, golly Two-Bit, see ya in an hour Steve, just watch some TV," Soda said grabbing his jacket.  
  
We walked out the door and went into Two-Bits car. He squealed out of the driveway and began going south to the Tulsa Train Station. On the way there Two-Bit told us how Shelby had lived here all her life but when her mom died her and her dad had to move to New York for work. I felt bad for her, at least when my mom and dad died I got to stay with my friends and my brothers. She has to leave everything all over again. When we got there Two- Bit couldn't think of what train number, or platform Shelby was coming from. So we decided to wait until the next train came in. When it did Two- Bit spotted her pretty fast. She was standing with her back to us lighting a smoke with her luggage at her feet.  
  
Suddenly I began to remember vaguely what she looked like... 


	3. She's really different

Chapter 3  
  
"Hey Shelby Sugarcane!" Two-Bit walked up behind her and ruffled her hair.  
  
She whipped around. Boy, she was pretty. She had long dead straight brown hair with natural blonde highlights. She had dark brown, lively eyes like Soda's with long black, fluttering eyelashes to accent them. She was pretty short, probably about five feet. She was wearing a short black skirt and a yellow low-cut blouse. You could tell she was a greaser chick, but she didn't look trashy like a lot of girls in my neighbourhood do. She was as pretty as Cherry Valance, maybe prettier I thought.  
  
"Hey Two-Bit!!" She screamed and swung both arms around his neck. He picked her up and swung her around twice before putting her down. She flashed a smile at me and Soda that reminded me of Two-Bits.  
  
"Hey Pony and Soda, how's life treating ya?" Shelby asked looking from Sodapop to me. I smiled back and answered, "Not too bad, you?" I could have kicked myself then. Her mom died, she been living in New York and her Dad just got sent to prison. How do you think she is?  
  
"Pretty good considering" she answered smiling at me. I was glad she didn't get upset, or start thinking about it. Two-Bit was looking at her smiling, and I knew he was going to mess with her.  
  
"Wow, Shelby Mustang, who woulda known you, could look so different in two years huh? How old are ya now 12, 13?" He knew she was 14, almost fifteen. Shelby who was grinning taking long drags on her cigarette obviously knew that he was trying to make her mad, and she took the bait. She cocked her eyebrow like Two-Bit only she looked real cute.  
  
Two-Bit Mathews you know damn well I am almost 15!" She put her cigarette in her mouth and slapped him a good one over the side of the head. I couldn't help but grin; Two-Bit gets that from girls all the time. Even family, obviously, Two-Bit just laughed and grabbed one of her four bags.  
  
"Come on, you two, take something!" Two-Bit said. I bent down and grabbed one of her bags and so did Sodapop and Shelby. As we walked to the parking lot Soda put his arm around Shelby's shoulders.  
  
"So Shelby Sugarcane, whatcha been up to lately?" Soda asked her.  
  
"I've been in New York Soda; you don't want to know what I have been up to." She smiled, but her mind was on something else, as she took one last drag and flicked it away.  
  
We got into Two-Bit's car and started the drive home. Me and Shelby got in the back. Shelby kept talking about how she couldn't wait to go out tonight and see everyone. 'Just like old times' she said. When she said she couldn't wait to see Angela Shepard I looked at her and felt my eyes widen. I then remembered that they had been real close when she lived here. I wondered to myself if she would think she was different. Angela was one tough chick. I mean it. She fought hoods twice her size. Shelby looked tough too, but not as tough as Angela. Angela was pretty too, she had long black curly hair and dark blue eyes. Like all the Sheppard's did. She also dated almost every guy in our neighbourhood. She had started hanging off Soda a little bit, but he gets annoyed with the same thing for too long and he just brushed her off. Besides she wasn't Soda's type anyway. She didn't seem to care either, she just moved on.  
  
"... I really want to go out tonight too. I missed you guys so much over the past two years! We can go and see everyone?"  
  
"Well, your in luck Shelby, I was planning on taking you over to the Nightly Double since I'm paying for these two greasy hoods anyways. Maybe after we can go and scout a party somewhere." Two-Bit said cheerfully as we pulled into his driveway.  
  
He gave Soda his car keys and told us that he would be over at 6:00 sharp ready to go. So we drove home in silence most of the way. Until Soda said out of nowhere,  
  
"So, what do you think of Shelby?" the question startled me so I stuttered quickly, "Uh...she's...different." Soda smiled and looked at me.  
  
"Grew up to be quite a looker aint she?" Soda said, I had to grin because he could probably tell I liked her.  
  
When we got home I went to go and have a shower and do my hair. I put lots of grease in, well actually no more than usual. Johnny and I had gotten a haircut and I hated it. My hair was pretty much the same as it was before that now though. I really liked Shelby and I wanted to show her I was still a tough greaser and proud of it. 


	4. The Drive In, Party at the Sheppards and...

Chapter 4  
  
Shelby and Two-Bit arrived ready to go at 6:30. We all got into Two-Bit's car and began our way to the Nightly Double. We watched the movie talking about various things, and smoking. Shelby and Two-Bit made wisecracks about each other the whole time. Shelby got him real good a couple of times. Steve ended up tagging along; I think he was getting cabin fever. After the movie ended, we sat there deciding who was doing what. Shelby still had her heart set on a party, and I had fun with Shelby and wanted to stay with her so I did too. Steve didn't want to go and Sodapop didn't want to go if Steve wasn't. So Two-Bit informed us there was a party at the Sheppard's place and would drop Soda and Steve at the Curtis' place. We did and got to the Sheppard's. The door was open and there were a fair number of people in there. We walked in and when they all turned to look at us, it fell silent. I felt all the eyes on us. Suddenly Angela pushed through the crowd; she had been talking to a guy named Bryon.  
  
"Shelby, is that really you!" she screamed  
  
"Last time I checked!" Shelby answered pulling Angela into a hug. "Angel you look so different!"  
  
"Yeah so do you, I guess it's been almost 3 years now, huh?"  
  
"Yah..." Shelby replied with a smile. Suddenly Curly Sheppard walked up behind Angela and his eyes widened as he saw Shelby.  
  
"Wow, Shelby we all thought you were gone for good. Where ya been?" he asked her, moving beside Angela.  
  
"New York." She said shortly looking away. I hoped she didn't like him but it really didn't look like it.  
  
"You look real...different." he said looking her up and down.  
  
"Uh," she smiled a fake grin "Thanks Curly," she turned to look at me "Lets go and get a drink Pony."  
  
My stomach gave a violent jump, she was real pretty and maybe she liked me I thought. We pushed our way through the crowd and got a drink. There were quite a few people there. Two-Bit was gone within 5 minutes. He saw a blonde and was immediately flirting with her. It's almost like he forgets we are with him or something.  
  
Well Shelby and I stayed together the whole time. We were talking to everyone and I knew a lot more people there than I thought I would. Shelby also started hanging off me a lot. I didn't take it as much of a compliment; she was probably pretty drunk by now. I aint going to deny though, it sure was fun.  
  
When we had been there for almost two hours I decided I wanted to go and talk to a guy named Mark. I told Shelby and she got off my lap and I left her standing there talking to Angela Sheppard again. I walked over to Mark and started up the conversation pretty quickly. Drinking makes me do that more easily.  
  
We had a long conversation about nothing in particular. Then I realized I was having more fun with Shelby so I trailed the conversation off quickly. Apparently drinking makes that easier for me too. I set off into the crowd. I couldn't find her anywhere. I saw Angela talking to some tall tough guy with black hair.  
  
"Hey Angela have you seen Shelby?" I asked sort of out of breathe from running around. She smiled her usual sassy smirk.  
  
"Sure did. She and Curly just went outside together. Curly wanted to talk to her about something. You don't need to bother her why don't you stay here with me?" She asked touching my arm. She was so drunk; I thought to myself, I better not get her mad.  
  
"Not now Ang" I said pulling her arm off me to head for the door.  
  
I was walking through the crowd, wondering what Curly would want to talk to Shelby about. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and whipped around so that Curly Sheppard's knuckles skinned my face.  
  
"Where the hell is Shel-"I started but was cut off by an out of breath Curly.  
  
"We..." He sat there wheezing and gasping for breath. I was getting impatient; he had an instant black eye and a bloody lip. He sat there looking as if he was about to keel over. He probably wouldn't have told me for another hour if I hadn't of shoved him and told him to get it out.  
  
"Me and Shelby...went outside to have a smoke...then these Socs, damn Socs...they started talking to Shelby, I told her to ignore them and go inside, but they were really pissing her off. So she started mouthing off back and then they got into a fight and told her to go with them. She punched one and then they just started fighting and then I got in there too. I'm ok but they hurt Shelby pretty bad. One tried to put her in the car and he hit her head off the top of it when she stepped on his foot. They left when Tim came out."  
  
"Damn!" I said shoving Curly out of the way. It had to be his fault. I actually knew it wasn't his fault though. He was just the closest person to her when it happened. I made my way out the door over to the crowd of people near Tim Sheppard's car.  
  
I pushed my through the crowd and saw Tim lifting Shelby's limp body up. He was shaking her slightly. I have always hated to see girls beat up. That's just how I am. But this was worse, much worse. 


	5. Oh Shelby

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone in this Fic except for Shelby.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Tim saw me coming and put her down. Everybody knew I had come with her and let me in through the crowd with no problem. Tim bent down and leaned her back against the car. I knelt down beside Tim and Shelby. "Shelby?" I half mumbled half sobbed. "Ponyboy, she passed out. I think she hit her head but she didn't get many war wounds besides a bloody lip." Tim said. Suddenly Shelby stirred and opened up her eyes. She smiled at me. "Hi Pony," she said quiet, but cheerfully. Too cheerfully for how she looked. "Shelbycakes.you ok?" I asked, feeling all eyes on me. "I'm fine Pony, I swear it. I just want to go home now." She moaned.  
  
I felt real bad for her. I lifted her up so her stomach was on my shoulder and muttered a 'thanks' to Tim as I turned to walk away. I saw Curly slouched over, with his thumbs hooked into his jeans. He was leaning against the side of the house. I suddenly thought to myself that, knowing the socs, she could've been a lot worse.  
  
"Hey Curly," I said and he nodded moving closer to me "thanks." He looked at me as if I was off my rocker. "For what?" He asked slightly raising an eyebrow. "Shelby, she coulda been worse than this I know it. Ya helped her out right?" He smiled a smirk that reminded me of Angela's. "Yeah, but she didn't need much help." he said, and then I could tell he was wondering whether or not to say what he was thinking. "Uh.Ponyboy.I think I should walk with you and Shelby. You've both bin drinking a lot and I aint been. Two-Bit left with a blonde, you shouldn't be walking around now." He said kind of sheepishly as if he was embarrassed that he cared about anyone else but himself. I thought this trough my head. He was right; two drunken kids looking for a payphone in the middle of the night didn't seem like such a good idea. At least one of us used his head. We started to walk down the street. I thought to myself Shelby must have fallen asleep. She wasn't talking or even moving. I could hear her soft breathing over the sound of leafs scraping on the pavement.  
  
We finally got to a corner store and we stepped inside. The store clerk looked at us. "Do you boys have any money? If you don't I suggest you leave so I don't have to call the cops." The Clerk practically yelled. Curly lit up a cigarette. "No pal, we are here to use the phone. Is that all right with you, are greasers allowed to use the phone too?" Curly said bitterly. "Yes.I suppose so." He said obviously still suspicious. I sat Shelby down and leaned her up against the wall and Curly sat beside her. Curly was talking to her slowly and Shelby was giggling. I picked up the phone and dialled the number slowly, aware that the clerk was still looking at us. No wonder. Look at us. You could probably tell we were hoods; the three of us were all pretty racked up looking. Shelby looked as if she was going to be sick. Curly had a puffy, bloody lip and you could probably tell I was drunk just by looking at me.  
  
"Hello?" I heard Sodapop's voice from the other end of the line. "Hey Soda it's me Pony.I need you to come and pick me up at the corner store. Two-Bit left us at the Sheppard's. The Shelby got jumped by some Socs.she passed out but it's probably because she's drunk. I think I might be too. Don't tell Darry. Will you come pick me up? I'm at the corner store." I said quickly Sodapop let out a loud, heavy sigh. "I'll be right there, do go nowhere." He said "Thanks," I hung up the phone. Come on you guys I said. Breaking up their conversation I couldn't hear. Sodapop came almost instantly. He walked over to Shelby and sighed, "Oh, Shelby sugarcane..." he scooped her up. Curly waved to us as he walked away, slouched over in his hoodish way. "Hehe," Shelby giggled loudly "Bye Curly." We went home silently; I was stroking Shelby's soft light brown hair while she slept. When we got home Soda had to carry Shelby in because she was still sleeping. I slept on the couch with her. We curled up and I fell asleep instantly. It wasn't really comfortable with Shelby lying on me but I was so tired I would have slept on the floor.  
  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed. If you haven't reviewed please do. I love reading your reviews. Sorry for taking so long to update but I wrote three chapters in two days so I hope that makes up for it. If you haven't reviewed this chapter or my story plz do as soon as possible! 


	6. Hangovers

Chapter 6  
  
I woke to find myself lying on my stomach. I looked at Shelby; she was curled up in a ball her face buried in her arms. I sat up slowly and winced. Head rush. I felt detached from my body. I could remember every detail from last night, but if was as if I was watching it in a movie. I looked around me. Sodapop and Darry were hurriedly running past me, shoving cake into their mouths. I sat up a bit farther. Nobody had noticed that I had woken up yet. I looked at Two-Bit he was eating chocolate cake and beer. Yes for breakfast. Although this is normal for him the thought of it made me sick. I looked for a clock; it was 1:30 in the afternoon. Why weren't Darry and Soda at work yet? Suddenly Two-Bit spun around and yelled,  
  
"Hey Ponyboy! You're up finally!" Two-Bit screamed. I winced and he stood up and walked over to mess up my hair.  
  
"Aw cut it out! I think I am going to be sick!" I exclaimed trying to say it in the least amount of words, in hurt to talk. Two-Bit and Soda laughed.  
  
"Hells bells Pony! I think you got a hangover!" He exclaimed loudly again. Sodapop laughed but I didn't. I was looking at Shelby. Suddenly she sat up slowly, dazedly looking ahead at me and then at Two-Bit. I couldn't help but laugh. She looked so out of it. But I instantly stopped as she closed her eyes to reveal her thick black and purple make-up and fell back asleep on the couch. I stopped because she probably felt exactly how I felt.  
  
"Good Pony your up," Sodapop said while he grabbed his coat and turned to face our bedroom.  
  
"Dar!! Darry he is up come on lets go!" Soda yelled. I looked around to see Darry. Darry ran past but then stopped to look at me. I felt this icy glare as he drank his coffee and I got up to get an aspirin. I was surprised he hadn't asked me about the whole mess last night. I decided I had spoken too soon as I stepped out of the bathroom running right into Darry's chest.  
  
"How much did you drink last night?" He asked coldly. My mouth felt dry and my tongue felt too big for my mouth.  
  
"I-I...we..." I managed to stammer out. Darry held up a hand.  
  
"Well, Pony if ya drank a lot your gonna regret it. You'll be hurtin' today." He said. "Just lye down and take ONE aspirin. You can go out later if ya want." He said. He grabbed Sodapop by the arm. "Oh Wait!" Soda said grabbing the door frame to pull himself back in. Darry came back in too.  
  
"Hey, Shelby is supposed to start work at the DX today. Tell her to show up if she can...If not I'll cover for her." Soda said and with that the door slammed closed.  
  
"Hey...Shelby didn't tell me she had a job." Two-Bit said. "I'll be right back; I just ran outta cancer sticks." He said cheerfully as he ran out the door. I sighed wishing Shelby would wake up so I wasn't alone. I looked over at her. Her long hair was all across her face and she was no longer in a ball, but sprawled onto her back. I sat there bored and decided to take a shower.  
  
When I got out Two-Bit was sitting at the table opening a pack of Kools. Shelby was still asleep but as I sat down at the table to light up Shelby bolted up looking around at her surroundings. Then as if she had the slowest reflexes ever, she grasped her forehead and rocked back and forth.  
  
"Hey Shelby Sugarcane, I reckon you got a hangover like Pony here huh?" Two- Bit yelled a little too loud for my liking.  
  
"Yeah I do! Now shut up your voice makes me wanna hurl." Shelby said as she stood up shakily. Two-Bit practically fell off his chair in laughter at the sight of Shelby grasping onto the chair for balance. She was a mess. Her make-up was smudged on her right eye and her hair was a mess. Her skirt was crooked and extremely short as it had ridden up in her restless sleep. She stumbled to the table and lit up a smoke. Then as if an idea had struck her body straightened and she put out her smoke.  
  
"Oh my god! Oh my god!" She shrieked. Me and Two-Bit looked at her bewildered.  
  
"I start work at the DX today!" She yelled. "Two-Bit, tell me you brought my bag!" "Yeah, yeah I brought it. It's in there. But Soda said him and Steve will cover for you until you get there." Two-Bit said casually. Shelby's jaw dropped.  
  
"Until I get there!! Its 2:00 I only work until five!!" She screamed. Then she stomped off into my room to get changed. Me and Two-Bit sat there looking at each other. Then Two-Bit mumbled quietly  
  
"Chicks..." I just looked at him and laughed. Then five minutes later Shelby walked out of my room looking respectful. She had on the same blue DX shirt that Soda and Steve wore. Underneath she had on a black fitted t-shirt and a plaid pleated short skirt with knee socks on and black shoes.  
  
"Uh Two-Bit..." She said grabbing her purse from under the couch. Two-Bit nodded, "Wha?" He asked.  
  
"I need a ride to the DX." Shelby said sheepishly. Two-Bit rolled his eyes; he could be so lazy sometimes and walked out the door. I decided to follow. I had nothing better to do anyways. We walked out the door and into Two- Bit's car.  
  
"I can't believe I have to go to work today...Jesus Christ I shouldn't have drunk yesterday." Shelby mumbled.  
  
"How come you got a job anyways?" I asked, I wondered how she got one so quick. She must have asked Two-Bits mom to ask Sodapop to get her one before she got here.  
  
"Well, Aunt Sherri's workin hard and we are still short on money. This bum sure as hell aint gonna get a job so I gotta." Shelby said jerking her thumb towards Two-Bit. "By the way, aint you ever considered working for a living? Don't ya think ya might need a job someday?" Shelby asked annoyed.  
  
"Nup, I got you for cash now." Two-Bit smirked. Shelby in return gave him a serious look. He yelped with laughter as he turned into the DX parking lot.  
  
"Have fun Shelby Sugarcane!" Two-Bit yelped. Shelby gave him a mean look. "Pony, you wanna meet me at the Diner to get something to eat for supper? You too Two-Bit?" She asked with the door open. I nodded my head in agreement and Two-Bit shook his head.  
  
"Naw, I'm going out with Cathy I think. I'll meet y'all at Dairy Queen though at 6:00." He said. Shelby nodded and then flashed a quick smile at me before slamming the car door and walking off.  
  
"Hey Shelbycakes!" I heard Soda exclaim.  
  
"Hey Sodapop, hey Steve!" She said. "Sorry I'm late!" She said running over to the garage where Soda and Steve were working on an old T-Bird. That's the last thing I heard as we backed out of the parking lot. 


	7. This Is What I Have Been Looking For

Chapter 7  
  
Two-Bit took me back home and then he left to go and pick up Cathy. I sighed as I sat on the couch. I glanced at the clock. 3:30. I decided that I would leave at 4:00, so when I got there I could get a Pepsi and help out with the cars before 5:00. I figured Shelby was working as the cashier and not a mechanic. That was just my assumption though because I couldn't picture Shelby working on cars and Soda had said a little while ago that the DX needed a new cashier. I sighed and looked around. I was hungry but I wasn't quite sure I could hold anything down. I walked to the icebox and looked in, there wasn't much. I decided to have some ice cream. We only had vanilla which surprised me, Soda, Darry and I love chocolate. Maybe Steve brought it over. I remembered that he preferred vanilla to chocolate. I took it out and I pressed the plastic case against my forehead. I sat there like that for at least five minutes. It sort of relieved my pounding head ache that occurred between my eyebrows.  
  
I scooped out two large scoops into a small bowl. I licked my lips and scooped some into my mouth. It didn't really relieve my hungry but at least it was something in famished stomach. After I finished and watched TV for about fifteen minutes I looked at the large clock overtop of our table. It read now read 3:50. I thought about staying for another ten minutes but I was bored out of mind. I can never just sit around like Two-Bit can. I walked out of the house. But not before I ran a comb once more through my hair. I was only wearing a grey t-shirt and light blue jeans. I grabbed Dally's old brown jacket and put it on. I liked wearing it because Dally had given it to me, but it reminded me of everything that happened just a year ago. I thought back to the smoky interior of Buck Merrill's place. I sat down beside Johnny on the bed shivering from the icy water I had just been dunked in. I looked at Dally as he handed me the loaded gun and fifty dollars with surprise. This could mean jail for him and that's when I knew why Johnny looked up to him. He was gallant.  
  
I shook those thoughts out of my head and put my other arm into the thick brown jacket with sheep's wool inside. I put my wallet into my jacket pocket and walked out of the house slamming the heavy screen door. I started my short walk to the DX station.  
  
I turned the corner onto Lincoln St. where it got busier. I looked across the street at the rundown gas station. It got the most business around, that wasn't saying much though, and there aren't that many gas stations on our side of town. I crossed the street and walked across the parking lot to the main office where I could buy my Pepsi. I walked in and the little bell rang Shelby was sitting on the counter talking and laughing with Soda as he did an impression of somebody I couldn't place. "Hey Pony" Shelby said smiling sweetly at me. She was leaning against the wall with one leg up and Soda was leaning on one elbow on the counter top. Sodapop smiled at me too. He straightened up.  
  
"Hey Shelby and Soda." I said. I looked around.  
  
"Where's Steve?" I questioned.  
  
"Working on Mr. Berk's car. He said we were getting in the way, fine by me that means less work." Soda said taking a swig of Shelby's Pepsi.  
  
I nodded smiling "Hey Shelby are we still going out for lunch to the diner?" I asked walking over to stand beside Soda.  
  
"Yah, we can leave in about 5 minutes when I officially get off work." Shelby said. She yanked the bottle of Pepsi back from Soda and finished it before throwing it into the small plastic garbage can by her foot. Suddenly the small bell rang as Mr. Berk walked into the small store and looked around. I knew him pretty well, the only reason I liked him is because he would never judge us because we were greasers. He lived near us too but I hadn't really seen him around lately. He nodded at me.  
  
"Alright Sodapop how much is that gonna be...?" Mr. Berk asked digging into his deep worn pockets.  
  
"It'll be $27.60 Mr. Berk." Shelby said ringing up the cash box and looking up at Mr. Berk. Mr. Berk squinted revealing the thick, deep wrinkles in his cheeks and forehead.  
  
"...Shelby?" It was actually more of a question then an answer. Shelby nodded looking at Mr. Berk quizzically.  
  
"It's me, um Michael, Michael Berk. You delivered my newspapers and I brought you to the hospital that one time...I think you broke your leg." He said with a good-hearted smile. Shelby tilted her head slightly to the side. Trying to gather up the details from her past.  
  
"Oh my god! It really is you Mr. Berk. I can't believe I didn't recognize you...you look almost exactly the same." Shelby said with a smile.  
  
"Oh Shelby, you always were a fantastic liar." He laughed obviously being able to tell Shelby was lying. Most people couldn't, for what I remember, tell when she was lying. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders cutely. "It's a gift," She joked and took the money from Mr. Berk and placed it noisily into the cash box.  
  
"Well, I best be going, take care kiddo." Mr. Berk said nodding to me as well and walking away. Shelby looked over at the clock and sighed into a smile.  
  
"I'm outta here!" Shelby yelled and grabbed a heavy black leather jacket, which I could have sworn I saw Two-Bit wear before. She swung around the counter humming a song and messed up Sodapop's hair and ducking his swing, as she grabbed my arm pulling me out of the small store. We began to walk to the store; Shelby was telling me about her day, I was kind of dazed into her deep brown eyes as she spoke. She was telling me about how she had scared Steve into draining oil all over him. She noticed I was staring at her so she stopped.  
  
"What?" Shelby said, smiling with a small giggle.  
  
"Oh, uh... err nothing." I stuttered out. I felt my ears burn with embarrassment.  
  
"Ok," She giggled, "Anyways, so Steve says to me 'don't you two have anything better to do 'sides bother me? You know this is a job maybe you can find some work!' Shelby said doing an incredible impersonation of Steve. And I says 'you mean this isn't just for fun? Coulda fooled me,' I said it with sarcasm though. And just as I thought he was about to pound me into a pulp I ran outta the garage." She said, she laughed with me just as we turned into the diner. I walked in and noticed it was pretty busy, with lots of adult's milling around. My stomach sort of sank, because we were greasers, and we looked it, and I knew they would judge us. I looked sideways at Shelby, she smiled at me. I let out a sigh, why did I care anyways? I was with Shelby. Since it had been a long time since Shelby was in here I led her to a booth at the back of the eating area.  
  
"Nice place...this is the kind of stuff I missed in New York, places like this, ay dig? They sure as hell don't have these there." She said and then she sort of went into her own world of thought that she did sometime, where her eyes would widen and she would absent mindedly chew on a finger nail or tap a surface as if she was playing drums. I smirked at her. We started a conversation. She ended up talking non-stop of everyone in New York. Including a couple of sentences of her dad. Whom I have never heard her speak of.  
  
A waitress walked up in the middle of our conversation. She had on the red and white uniform, and looked in about her mid-thirties. But she had deep defined wrinkles and metallic blue make-up almost up to her eyebrows. I sort of cringed at the stare she gave us.  
  
"Great...of all the customers in here..." She mumbled to herself. We stopped to look at her.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" She said almost as fake as her smile. She chewed and smacked her gum way too loudly. She glared at the lady with a face I had never seen Shelby wear before.  
  
"Are you kids gonna order or should I go serve some customers with money?" She asked, this time not even trying to smile at us. Shelby looked at me through the corner of her eye and winked. I knew all too well what this meant.  
  
"Yeah, can we have two Pepsis and a..." Shelby then knocked over her glass of water onto the table so it spread onto the floor. She gave the waitress a completely fake 'oops' face with a shrug. The lady didn't need to give us the look she did then. It was so cruel I almost backed up. She bent over slowly to clean it up muttering about 'stupid, trouble causin' teenyboppers.' Shelby gave me egging on look. I knew she wanted me to knock over my water too. I sort of widened my eyes and then Shelby knocked over my water as well. The lady half straightened up so we could see her. I had to stifle a laugh. Her puffy beehive hair was now sopping wet and dripping down making her heavy mascara run down her face. She looked at me with such hate. I tried to stutter out an oops, an apology or anything. But all that came out was carbon dioxide.  
  
"Listen you little hood! Next time you come in here you'd better be..." She didn't get to finish, because Shelby stuck out her leg from under her side of the table and gave the lady a swift shove sending her into the puddles. I was kind of bewildered, stupefied. Nonetheless I saw the look the lady was wearing while on the floor. Shelby was already on her feet and reached over to grab my arm and yank me up. I stumbled a bit looking at the lady. We just got to the door when the owner grabbed Shelby by the shoulder yanking her roughly. Shelby yelped it pain. Instinct took over me and I walked over to the guy and punched him square in the nose. I was a pretty good puncher, considering my size, and that guy stumbled backwards fast. He stumbled to the ground and pulled Shelby down with him which also knocked me down. So there were two teenage greasers and a 50 year old man stumbling and rolling around on the ground cussing and grabbing at things for stability while we struggled to get out. I grabbed a hold on a table cloth sending the food and drinks flying, but nevertheless get me on my feet. I reached down and my arms encased Shelby's waist while she was still cussing out the owner. With that we were out of the place, running for our lives but laughing so hard that aches and pains racked our chests. We got to Dairy Queen before we slowed down in the slightest  
  
As we ran into the Drive-In parking lot of Dairy Queen I spotted Two-Bit's car. Shelby and I ran toward it and we both leaned against it, trying to catch our breathe. Two-Bit look at us,  
  
"Glory Halleluiah! So you decided to show up did ya? Jesus Christ, I have been waitin' here for twenty minutes." He then gave a nod to the three greasers he had been talking to before we arrived. Me and Shelby ignored his remark about waiting and climbed into the car. I was still breathing heavily as we sat in the backseat glancing at each other a couple of times. Two-Bit jumped into the front seat which he had lowered. He glanced behind him before squealing out onto the road.  
  
"So, how was the diner tonight?" Two-Bit asked after about 3 minutes of silence because everybody was either looking for or lighting up cigarettes.  
  
"We didn't stay long," Shelby said with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of her mouth.  
  
"Why not?" Two-Bit asked.  
  
"Cause this waitress was pissing us, well me off, and then I spilled water and one thing led to another before Pony punched out the owner." Shelby said giving me a little shove. I smiled and flexed my muscles playfully.  
  
"Nice one Ponyboy, was it that old broad with the blond hair?" He asked us.  
  
"Yeah," I said surprised that Two-Bit could guess who we were talking about.  
  
"Yeah, aint she a ray of sunshine? Kicked me and Dan out just last week." Two-Bit said, I knew who Dan was. I had only met him about twice, he was my age and he seemed like a cool old guy.  
  
We pulled into the driveway and I jumped out of the car racing Two-Bit and Shelby into the door. Two-Bit lost because he was too damn lazy, Shelby lost because of her high heels. I walked into the door with a look of mock triumph on my face before I felt a hard blow to my back. I fell to my knees and turned around to see Shelby had lunged at me in the doorway. I laughed as she pinned me arms to the ground sitting on my chest. She thought she had won, but she couldn't hold me down if her life depended on it. I sat up and picked her up around the waist just as Two-Bit came in. He looked at me funny and I walked over to him with Shelby.  
  
"I believe this is yours," I joked passing Shelby to Two-Bit.  
  
He cocked an eyebrow and dropping Shelby to the ground said,  
  
"I don't want her." He grinned down at Shelby and walked over to the TV set, fiddling with the knobs.  
  
"That hurt!" A scowling Shelby said to the back of Two-Bit. Two-Bit ignored it and went to sit on the couch.  
  
Just then Sodapop came in, grinning widely.  
  
"Heya Pony, Two-Bit" Then he looked around and noticing Shelby on the floor he nodded, "Shelby" She saluted him and crawled over to the couch. I went over and sat in-between the two of them. Sodapop sat in Darry's arm chair. Nobody sat in that chair unless Darry wasn't here.  
  
"So, Two-Bit why you home so early?" I asked, knowing that Two-Bit's dates usually lasted until midnight. I didn't actually expect him to meet us at Dairy Queen.  
  
Two-Bit gave a sour look. "Cathy said she wasn't in the 'mood'." Two-Bit rolled his eyes as if this was impossible.  
  
"I mean seriously, there is no mood you have to be in, at least not for guys. Sometimes I just don't get chicks, wish there was some way I could get in their head when they do those things. Ya dig?" Two-Bit said with a cigarette between his lips.  
  
Shelby let out a small laugh and rolled her eyes.  
  
"What are you laughing-," Two-Bit stopped and his eyes widened.  
  
"Hey you're a broad!" He exclaimed pointing a finger at her.  
  
"Cant get nothing past you Two-Bit," Shelby said cocking an eyebrow and looking from me to Two-Bit then looking back down at her magazine. Two-Bit wasn't joking though; he realized living with a girl was even better than getting into one of their heads.  
  
"Well..?" Two-Bit inquired.  
  
"Well what?" Shelby asked, looking at him as if he had just come back from the dead.  
  
"Well, what's she mean 'I'm not in the mood'?" He asked her getting excited.  
  
Shelby rolled her eyes, "It means you did something to piss her off, but she wants you to figure it out for yourself, and then apologize." Shelby said not looking up from the magazine she was not thumbing through.  
  
"But I didn't do anything wrong," Then as if an idea struck old Two-Bit he said slowly, "Oh...you mean like a girl that comes up and recognizes you? Would that count...?" Two-Bit asked biting his lip.  
  
"Yeah, definitely." Shelby replied.  
  
"Aw well. She'll get over it I will just giver some time." He said.  
  
Then we sort of settled down to watch I Love Lucy. After about an hour and a half of I Love Lucy, I didn't think I could stand the sound of her crying and whining anymore. After we took a vote we decided to change the channel. We found the Honeymooners which was pretty tuff. The gang always thought Jackie Gleason was pretty tuff too. I didn't feel much like watching so as the two remaining members of the gang started coming in I challenged them to a game of poker. Soda, Steve and Shelby took up the offer. Darry didn't because he had to cook supper and Two-Bit didn't because he was flat broke. We had played 3 rounds, we were on our fourth and so far I had only won one game. It was pretty good though and I was feeling lucky.  
  
I looked down at my hand. I had a pair of sevens. That was a pretty rank hand. I looked around. Everyone was looking at me with their poker faces on, it was my turn. I had already wasted about half of my winnings trying to convince everyone I had a better hand than I did. I looked down at my withering pile of quarters. I sighed,  
  
"I fold," I answered throwing my cards down angrily. It was Shelby's turn. She looked down at her cards with that expressionless dazed look she puts on. Like she doesn't know what's going on around her, sort of like Two- Bit's. She pushed four quarters into the middle. I just looked at her, she was either cocky about winning or had an incredible hand. Soda put in two quarters and Steve put in two as well. Then Shelby slid in another quarter, Sodapop looked down at his hand.  
  
"I'm out," He said throwing his cards down, resembling me.  
  
"Ditto" Said Steve angrily.  
  
"Yay!" said Shelby scooping all of her quarters into a purse. She smiled and sat back looking at our stunned faces. She hadn't won a game yet and she ended up winning the biggest game of all.  
  
"What did you have?" Inquired Steve.  
  
"A lot worse than all of your hands." Shelby said winking. Well I am starting to get some cabin fever, anyone want to come on a walk with me?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah sure!" I said, sounding a little too excited. I jumped up and walked outside with Shelby. She took a deep breath, but then as if the clean Tulsa air wasn't enough, she frowned and pulled out a cigarette. I smirked. I always found myself looking at her. Her light soft skin, her long black eyelashes, and the beautiful green with brown specked eyes they accented. The way when she got mad or frustrated her long hair would fall in her face. Then her feminine pink lips would blow the hair out of the way. She sometimes caught me staring at her. Once I caught her staring at me, she looked down quickly; I sort of blushed but didn't look away. She then looked up at me and flashed her breath taking smile.  
  
There was mostly silence and then she inhaled and looked at me deeply. Like she was looking into my mind, reading me like a book.  
  
"How did you do it?" She asked softly. I felt myself put on a confused look.  
  
"How did you lose so many people, so many things and keep going." It was then I realized what she was talking about. She was talking about mom and dad, she was talking about Dally...she was talking about Johnny.  
  
She sort of sobbed and said, "I mean, Two-Bit told me last night about everything, he told me about your mom and dad, he told me about Dally and he told me about...Johnny." She said then a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away and then glanced at me, seeing if I saw. I had, and she gave a little smirk.  
  
"I cried the whole night, I hadn't known Dally that well, and I think we all knew how he was going to die, and I hadn't really known your parents, but Johnny, I mean Johnny he was different. Johnny was something special." Shelby said she was now pretty much crying but wiping them away too. I felt kind of weird but being silent and all but there isn't much to say while someone is reliving the hardest parts of my life.  
  
"Just so you know Pony," She said after a little while of silence, "I kind of know how you feel." I looked at her quickly wondering how in the world she would know how it feels to lose two of your best friends and your parents.  
  
"Well, not to your extent. When I was 12 I was living in Tulsa, and then when mom died dad couldn't afford the house anymore, even thought it was small. So dad decided to move to New York, its horrible there Pony, I'm serious I will never go back. Everything was going ok, Dad got a better job, but then he noticed the other side of New York. The side of New York I hung out in. He went to strip clubs and got boozed up every night. Don't tell nobody Pony, I aint told no one this. He beat me when he got drunk. He'd throw punches at me and asking me who I was and what I was doing here. Or why I didn't have any money and was always in his house. I started doing lots of drugs, and I started getting drunk a lot. I started realizing how much my life was screwed up. The first friend I ever made in New York died, the next day. She was found in a river, she was 13 years old. That's not long enough I thought. She shouldn't have had to die; mom shouldn't have had to die. I know now that no matter how old you are its too early to die. Nobody should have to die because no matter how long you lived there's always something you wish you would've done. There's always one day you wish would've gone differently. Suddenly one day changed all that. Dad came home and said he was gonna change. I'm so stupid, because I believed him. He said he got a new job with good pay and would be home at eight o'clock every night. He said he wouldn't get drunk anymore! He said I wouldn't have to rob gas stations and grocery stores for food and money. Dine and dash had become a way of life for me. I was so happy. This is the day, I thought this is the day that's gonna change it all. So I cooked a big supper for us. I went out and got all the food and I didn't steal nothing, I used the little welfare money we got in the mail. But dad didn't come home that night; in fact he came home at three in the morning. I was bawling by then and when he came I was madder at him then ever before. I didn't care about him beating me, I wanted him too, so I could let out all my feelings and cuss him out, I wanted to slap him back and threaten him. He came in and I started screaming 'You lied, you always lie! All you do is smoke and get wasted! I can't live like this dad!' and all that lovely stuff and then he turned around and stared at me. 'What are you doing here?' He asked. 'I thought I threw you out.' And then he pushed me down ontop of the coffee table cussing me out. I still have the scar on my ribs from the broken glass. I was screaming too and then he started throwing stuff at me, everything he could get a hold of. He threw plates and knives at me. I threw one back at him and then he pinned me against the wall with a knife at my throat; he-he told me everything would be better if I was gone. Everything will be easier, he said. I didn't doubt for a second he would have killed me. Then the police knocked down the door and he dropped the knife and pretended to clean. I stood there and watched them taking my dad away. Suddenly not caring, not wanting to care. I watched them take my dad away. He kept screaming the same thing over and over. 'Do something baby!' But I couldn't, I loved my dad but he deserved to go to jail more than anyone I have ever known. It turns out the bastard hit somebody on the way home from the bar and almost killed him." Shelby said, sobs were now racking her chest and she was crying uncontrollably. I looked at her as we sat down on the swings at our old elementary school park. The chains creaked as we swung slowly.  
  
I looked at her tear stained soft cheeks. I suddenly wanted to change the world so she didn't have to feel an ounce of sadness. I didn't want her to feel any of the pain that she has felt. I didn't want her to feel the similar pain I had felt. I could handle it, she couldn't. I reached over and turned her face towards me. She sobbed and I leaned in really fast so my lips met hers.  
  
That's when I knew this is what I want. This is what I have been looking for since Johnny and Dally died. This is what is going to fill that gap that's been eating me away for a year. Shelby's what I want...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Wow, that was pretty long...I wasn't going to continue this story because I didn't get many reviews, I thought maybe you didn't like it but there wont really be any more filler chapters like before so it will be more exciting like the last part. I really love writing this story so I hope you guys review to make my day. If you think I should continue please review for me! 


	8. TwoBits Place

Chapter 8  
  
Shelby brought her hands up to my face from the cold chains; I draped my bare arms around her waist to bring her in closer. Then she opened her mouth and as if I had gotten permission I deepened the kiss. Pulling her in closer and closer until there was no space between us anymore. Shelby pulled away and looked at me deeply like she had before. The she gave me a small peck on the lips and sighed.  
  
"We better get back Pony; I have to go home tonight." Shelby said with a sweet grin on her face. I nodded and let go of her so her swing swung sideways away from mine. She laughed out loud and jumped off. She shivered from the sudden chilly wind that swept through Tulsa. I draped my arm across her shoulder and she gave me a cute grin and we walked down the road in silence.  
  
I stepped up the steps letting go of Shelby's shoulders and reaching for the door handle I walked in.  
  
"Hey Shelby you ready to go kiddo?" Two-Bit asked her as we walked in.  
  
"Yes, and don't call me kiddo." Shelby said stubbornly but with a slight grin. "Yeah, whatever you say kiddo." Two-Bit said not listening to Shelby whatsoever. She looked at him and rolled her eyes.  
  
"See y'all tomorrow!" Shelby said shoving Two-Bit out of the door because his favourite song had come on the radio in our living room. She looked at me last and winked before stepping out our door.  
  
Steve ended up staying the night again because he was pretty soused if you asked me. But Steve told Darry he got into a good fight with his dad. This wasn't out of the ordinary making it very believable. I went to bed and after about half an hour Soda came in.  
  
I had my back to him pretending to sleep even though I had my eyes wide open. He lied down beside me and I could feel him facing me.  
  
"Pony I know your not asleep yet." Soda said, I knew he'd be able to tell. Soda knew everything.  
  
"Hmmm" I sort of moaned, I was tired, I just couldn't get to sleep. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling listening to myself breathe.  
  
"What did you and Shelby do while you were out?" He asked slyly.  
  
"Nothing," I said, trying not to grin while I thought about it. "We went for a walk."  
  
"I'll bet." Soda said and I rolled my eyes at him.  
  
"Soda?" I asked  
  
"What?" He answered sort of sleepier now.  
  
"Soda, do you still miss Sandy?" I knew this was a touchy subject and after that one time I mentioned her I never had again. But I had to know, Soda dated other girls but did he still miss Sandy? The girl he loved, the girl he wanted to marry.  
  
He sighed and he looked at the ceiling like me.  
  
"Everyday Pony," Soda said. I knew it, I sort of wished I hadn't mentioned it, but I had to know. Love felt so real to me right now and I needed to know if love mattered. I needed to know that MY love was real. With that I relaxed and fell into a light dreamless sleep. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I woke up and Soda was already up. I looked sleepily around the room. I thought about trying to fall back asleep. Then again I highly doubted I could with the amount of noise going on. Then I heard Shelby's loud scream and a giggle. I immediately sat up and crawled out of bed. I walked into the living room in my plaid PJ pants and shirtless. I stopped and sat on the couch laughing slightly through my sleepiness.  
  
Shelby was pinned to the ground by Sodapop while Two-Bit tickled her.  
  
"Just say uncle, Shelby, and we will let you go!" Two-Bit yelled at Shelby who was gasping for breath and kicking and screaming.  
  
"NO!" She exclaimed. So Two-Bit began to tickle her again, she reached over and grabbed Soda's shirt and pulled him in close enough to punch him, but just as she was about to, Two-Bit tickled her more and Soda pinned her back to the ground. "o.k.! OK I GIVE!" She ended up screaming out of breath. Two- bit laughed at her as she sat up and gave him a look of stubbornness. She smacked him over the side of the head as he stood up. He turned on her ready to pounce but Sodapop raised his hand, signalling him. He picked Shelby up and threw her on the couch beside me. She crossed her arms and made a funny face at him. He smirked and tried to cock an eyebrow at her, unsuccessfully of course. Shelby lied across my lap.  
  
"Mornin' Pony!" She said happily.  
  
"Get off 'a me!" I said pushing her off, jokingly.  
  
She sat up and leaned her back against my shoulder watching the Honeymooners. During a commercial Shelby spun around and smiled at me.  
  
"What?" I asked her. She shrugged her shoulders and blew a large pink bubble with her gum not even an inch away from my face before popping it loudly. She sprung up and jumped over the back of the couch, singing Hound Dog happily. She swung her arms around her head gleefully and her small figure followed. Whipping around in a circle so fast that she lost her balance and fell back into the wall near the table where Two-Bit and Sodapop were eating a peaceful breakfast, well as peaceful as things get around here.  
  
"Smooth, Shelby Mustang," Two-Bit said nonchalantly. She laughed out loud and as if she had decided she enjoyed the floor she laid back and took a plate of eggs down to the ground with her. Seeing her with eggs made my stomach growl wildly. I jumped over the back of the couch as Shelby had, minus the singing and dancing and walked over to the table where I found a plate of eggs I guessed to be mine. Only they were scrambled with grape jelly on them.  
  
"Soda! I don't like jelly on my eggs! That's you, I don't even like them scrambled like you."  
  
"So what? Beggars can't be choosers, eat your cake." Sodapop said, enjoying his eggs, making me slightly mad. I let out a huff and sat down. I picked up my stained fork and scooped some cake into my mouth. That was WAY too much sugar for the morning.  
  
"Jesus Soda! You even made the cake too sugary!" Even though it was sweet I had a sour look on my face. The icing had so much sugar I lost my appetite. Well not really, but I always was one to over exaggerate.  
  
"Well Pony, no one else is complaining." Sodapop said now eating his cake without cringing in the slightest, as I had. I looked at Two-Bit who had already inhaled his cake. Then at Shelby who shrugged at me.  
  
"I like sugar too..." She said quietly. I sighed and got up.  
  
When I looked in the icebox I realized that there were no more eggs. They had been the last ones. I slammed it shut and spun around to see the three of them laughing at me.  
  
"Something wrong Pony?" Asked Two-Bit with a cocky smirk on his face.  
  
"Nope." I said shortly and brought out the cake mix. I had no idea how to make cake...Darry and Sodapop always made it. But how hard can it be?  
  
"Ya know what your doing Pony?" Asked Shelby who was now putting her plate into the sink while I stared at the cake mix container.  
  
"Yeah," I answered her.  
  
"It don't look like it." She said.  
  
"Well I do." I said getting slightly mad. Shelby blew a bubble.  
  
"I can make you a cake...all ya hafta' do is ask." She replied then began making it without an answer from me. I looked at her and then sort of helped her. That's a lie; I sat on the counter top watching her. Talking about everything we could think of. Everything leading into another topic. Shelby took the cake out of the oven and put it on the table. Although I did get my fair share of a piece I wouldn't have if I waited another second. Two-Bit and Soda both grabbed hungrily at the cake...faster than Shelby could hand out slices.  
  
"God, guys try to get some in your mouth." Shelby said watching us eat the cake faster than we could think. I was eating just as fast as them. The cake was overly sugary but it was fine for me. Shelby gave up trying to calm us down and threw her hands in the air; she turned on the radio and sang along with it.  
  
We finished the cake and I felt satisfied.  
  
"Well me and Soda are going out, see you later." Two-Bit said.  
  
"Wait!" Shelby yelled from the couch. "Doesn't Aunt Sherri go to work today?"  
  
Two-Bit looked at her strangely, "Yeah...so?"  
  
"So...who's watching Shannen...remember your little sister the one with brown hair?" Shelby said.  
  
"Oh...yeah I dunno. I 'spose you are." Two-Bit said slowly. "O.K. fine...because it's not like I have a life." Shelby said sarcastically, a little annoyed.  
  
"Don't kid yourself Shelby Sugarcane... you don't have a life." He said while walking out the door with Sodapop on his heel.  
  
"Well that means I gotta git going... Sorry." Shelby said.  
  
"Can I come with you?" I inquired, wondering if it was a good idea to ask.  
  
"Uh...yeah sure. If you want to I guess. It sure would make it better for me." She said grabbing a pack of smokes I assumed Two-Bit left behind.  
  
Without another word we walked out of the house on the way to Two-Bit's.  
  
We walked in silence the whole time. It's almost like we didn't need to talk. She needed my lighter, I gave it to her. She didn't know which way to turn, I showed her. When we got there she walked inside.  
  
I saw Two-Bit's mom standing in the doorway waiting for someone to come and watch Shannen. Glancing at her watch, I think if the milkman showed up she would've left Shannen with him.  
  
"Oh Shelby...? Two-Bit was supposed to watch Shannen today." She said sympathetically.  
  
"Well Aunt Sherri you know Two-Bit...always reliable." Shelby said sarcastically.  
  
"Oh... well thanks because I have no one else to watch Shannen if he didn't show up." Then she noticed me standing there. I grinned slightly.  
  
"Oh...hello Ponyboy...I haven't seen you in a while!" She said gleefully putting a hand on my shoulder and giving me a good natured grin.  
  
"Yeah...is it ok that I stay with Shelby while she baby-sits?" I inquired.  
  
"Of course! It's the least I can do, considering how much time Two-Bit spends at your house." She said. I nodded and she turned to Shelby.  
  
"Alright I'm going now. I will be back around three because I have the short shift today. You can have the food in the fridge if you haven't eaten because I just got groceries. I will be home soon...and be good." She said looking down at Shelby.  
  
"I know, I know, I know..." Shelby said shutting the door behind Sherri. She turned around.  
  
"Shannen! Shannen me and Pony are here!" She yelled not really anywhere in particular. Suddenly a small girl came running out of the doorway to the living room.  
  
"HI SHELBY!" She said, she ran and jumped into the air, confident her cousin would catch her. Shelby did and she spun her around before setting her down. She looked at me. She smiled and she looked nothing like Two-Bit. She had dark brown ringlet's sitting on her shoulders. She had a round face with Two-bits eyes. That's all she had of Two-Bit's was his eyes. They were hysterical like his but they were bluer. She smiled like him too, but that was out of habit not gene.  
  
"Hi Ponyboy." She said shyly looking at me and then at Shelby and running back into the living room. Shelby and I followed and we flopped onto the couch. Shannen sat on the floor and watched the TV so close it made my eyes hurt thinking about it.  
  
"Baby don't sit so close...your going to go blind." Shelby said to Shannen.  
  
"Am not!" Shannen protested not pulling her eyes away from Mickey Mouse. Maybe she was more like Two-Bit than I thought.  
  
"Whatever..." Shelby said. I looked at her and she was staring at the TV screen. Maybe she was looking at the TV, but her mind was something else. She was sitting with one foot up on the couch and she pulled in her leg close to her chest. She had her chin rested on her knee and her eyes are wide. She didn't notice I was looking at her like she usually does...that was weird. I found myself reaching over for her hand without thinking.  
  
I enclosed her fingers into mine and held them tight. She linked them with mine and held them tight. She didn't look at me, just kept pretending to watch the TV screen. Her eyes were filling with tears threatening to spill over. I didn't ask her what was wrong. I wanted to know...but I didn't need to. She was probably thinking about stuff that wasn't the type of thing you talk about with someone you barely know. Although I don't think I would be classified as someone she barely knows. I moved closer to her and ran my finger through her long soft hair. She took her chin off of her knee and sat up straight to hold back the tears. Shannen got up and left to her bedroom. I moved a little bit closer and ran my finger through her hair again and down her spine. She finally looked at me and then looked away again, afraid I would see her cry. Suddenly she advanced on me, swinging one leg over my stomach and turning my head towards her she held my face and kissed me. It wasn't as passionate as last time it was just a quick kiss, because Shannen came downstairs, while our lips were still touching I felt her break into a smile. She took her leg back and leaned against my shoulder.  
  
"I'm hungry," Shannen said.  
  
"Well what do you want?" Shelby asked the tiny girl standing in front of us. She pondered.  
  
"A peanut butter sandwich." She said.  
  
"You got it...I will be right back Pony." Shelby said running her hand through my hair playfully while she took Shannen's hand and led her into the kitchen. I heard cupboards banging and opening, and then they walked back in Shannen with a sandwich Shelby with a paper towel in her hands.  
  
"Don't make a mess!" Shelby said giving her the paper towel. Shannen gave her a look and stuck out her tongue, Shelby stuck hers out back at her.  
  
Shannen lied on her stomach eating her sandwich. She ended up falling asleep while we watched TV.  
  
"Aw crap..." Shelby said noticing Shannen on the floor.  
  
"Come on hunny ...you still have to get to the bedroom!" Shelby said shaking her slightly. Shannen didn't show any sign of waking up. Shelby bent down again whispering to her and shaking her harder and harder. I walked over to Shannen and scooped her up.  
  
"No...Pony its ok I can get her up." Shelby said grabbing my arm.  
  
"It's alright... she doesn't weigh much anyway." I said to her, which was the truth. Shannen was incredibly light. We walked up the three steps and down the small hallway and into Shannen's room. It was a small square bedroom with light pink walls. Toy horses littered the floor everywhere with legs broken off and stables set up around them. I had to concentrate to not trip on any of the toys.  
  
Shelby was leaned against the doorway when I turned around from putting Shannen in her bed. She was looking at me with a smirk on her face.  
  
"What?" I asked feeling my cheeks burn.  
  
"Nothing...let's go superman." She said laughing and taking my hand leading me downstairs.  
  
She had called me superman...no one ever called me that. Darry was always superman and I was superman's kid brother. I liked being the superman.  
  
We walked into the kitchen and Shelby took both of my hands but she was walking with her back to me. She turned around letting go of my hands and looked into my eyes. I swallowed and took her hands back again she pulled me in closer. I smiled down at her and she exhaled and I wrapped my arms around her waist lifting her up slightly I pulled her into me. When her lips touched mine and the kiss began she jumped up and wrapped her legs around my waist. Her arms were draped around my neck holding her up. I pushed her up against the cupboards and set her on the counter while we were still kissing. She brought her hands away from my neck and ran them through my hair then brought them down to my face holding it lightly. I leaned into her more and more while the kiss got more intense. Its weird how our kisses start, we don't get into it knowing... it just sort of flows. I can never tell when we are going to kiss until Shelby gives me that look. Even if we were mad at each other if she made that face it would change everything. Things would be different.  
  
We made out for what felt like a long time, then Two-Bit's mom came home.  
  
"I'm home." She yelled and the door shut. Shelby pushed me away quickly and giggled. I smiled and she quickly pulled me in for another kiss. It was so fast I barely realized it happened. I was kind of light headed from kissing that long. Shelby jumped off the counter still looking at me and skipped out of the kitchen with me behind her.  
  
"Heya Aunt Sherri!" Shelby exclaimed. Sherri looked beat and she gave Shelby a tired look.  
  
"Get outta my house!" She said shoving me and Shelby of the door. I barely had time to grab for my jacket as Shelby grabbed for her worn leather one. We both stumbled out of the house and onto the peeling wooden porch. Shelby hopped over the cracking, steep grey concrete steps that lead to the porch. I jumped off the last three steps and me and Shelby stood at the end of the driveway. Silently deciding where to go. Suddenly from far off in the distance Shelby pointed I saw a red car up the street.  
  
"Isn't that Steve's T-bird?" Shelby asked me. It sure sounded like Steve's; he had just got it real cheap because there was something wrong with the muffler. It sounded horrible but it sure could lay some rubber.  
  
"Yeah I think it is." I said to her shielding my eyes from the bright setting sun. Shelby grabbed my arm and started running down the sidewalk getting ready to wave him down. She began to wave.  
  
"Steve! Hey Soda and Steve!" She said. Soda tapped Steve's shoulder and jerked his thumb towards us. Steve pulled over reluctantly with a heated look on his face. I knew Steve didn't mind Shelby but the thought of driving around with two teenage kids probably made him annoyed.  
  
"Hey guys!" Shelby said hopping into the car without opening the door. Shelby loved convertibles and that's what it was. She sat on the back of the seat and I jumped in sitting beside her, just not on the back I sat on the seat.  
  
"Jesus, you moron! Get the hell off of my seats your gonna wreck them I just redid them!" Steve yelled giving Shelby a hard smack across her legs. Shelby let out a huff and made a frustrated look and slid down sitting beside me.  
  
"You guys going back to our place?" Sodapop asked us.  
  
"Yeah I guess," I said with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. I passed it to Shelby as I noticed she was out. She took a long drag and then lied back giving it back to me. Suddenly she jumped up and looked around. Then she jumped forward knocking Soda's Pepsi onto his lap.  
  
"What are you doing Shelby?!" He asked trying to dry it up with his sleeve. Shelby reached forward to the dashboard and twisted the knob making the music go really loud, slightly hurting my ear drums. It was 'A Little Less Conversation' by Elvis Presley. Shelby sure liked Elvis. I did too, but not to her extent.  
  
"A little less conversation a little more action please, all this aggravation aint satisfactionin' me!" Shelby yelled receiving a glare from Soda and Steve. Shelby wasn't a very good signer. She just belted the words and screamed like the girls you see at his concerts. They go crazy. I like watching those concerts. Imagining I was Elvis Presley and beautiful girls were screaming at the sight of me. Look at me in a good way, not because they were scared of me or my friends.  
  
"Well I can't wait until I drive with you guys again some time..." Shelby said rolling her eyes, the words dripping with sarcasm.  
  
We were almost in my driveway but Shelby jumped out before we stopped and ran into the house. I followed when the car had stopped and jumped up our steps and leaned against the door to open it. Shelby was already downing a Pepsi.  
  
"Make yourself at home." I said to her kind of sarcastically.  
  
"Will do," Shelby said out of breath from drinking a whole Pepsi and she wiped the Pepsi away from her lips and looked at me. I gave a half smile as I walked into the bedroom. I walked into the room and looked in the mirror above mine and Soda's dresser. My hair was horrible. I sort of gasped and took out a handful of grease and my comb. I worked carefully so my hair was its usual tuff self. It didn't take a long time or much grease. My hair was almost back to normal, except for my bleached ends. They weren't that bad I guess. It looked real bad after about six months; my hair was half blonde half brown. Two-Bit would go up to girls at the DX and stuff and say "You girls like blondes or brunettes?" and when they would either answer or just look at him he would point to me and say "Well you know you can have both! With this greasy little hood over here!" And mess up my missed match hair accordingly. It got real annoying. I haven't been to the DX with just Two- Bit anymore...  
  
"Ponyboy?!" Shelby yelled, whether from the kitchen or living room I couldn't tell.  
  
"What?" I screamed back and then put my comb down and walked out of my door. When I didn't receive an answer I said to her again,  
  
"What?" I saw her lying on the couch with her feet up watching TV.  
  
"Oh," she said turning to look at me, "Nothing, its just I wanted to make sure you were still here...I couldn't remember." Shelby smiled and turned back to the TV. I sort of stood there wondering how you could not notice if someone was here.  
  
I started to clean the kitchen. Shelby didn't offer to help. I didn't expect her to either. I knew her, she was lazy. Sort of like Two-Bit but not to his extent. Shelby did help if she was bored but I don't count on her help. After about twenty minutes Darry walked into the door and threw his heavy jacket at the coat rack. He landed his coat on it perfectly. He was the only one who used that coat rack. I never see any other coats on there.  
  
"Pony? Pony I'm home!" Darry said. "Hi Shelby, Ponyboy here?" I heard Darry ask.  
  
"Uh...yeah he's in the kitchen." Shelby answered slightly clearing her throat. I heard some things being cleaned up. He wasn't home for one minute and he was cleaning up already I thought.  
  
"Ponyboy is this your homework?" Darry asked and I saw him come around the corner with my overflowing backpack in his hands.  
  
"No its Sodapop's" I said sarcastically. I immediately bit my lip knowing I shouldn't have said that.  
  
"Don't get mouthy Ponyboy Michael Curtis, why haven't you started this yet?" He said gesturing to my backpack.  
  
"Because it's spring break, who wants to do homework?" I said rhetorically.  
  
"It's not a question of why don't you want to do your homework, its why didn't you?" He said getting slightly mad.  
  
"Darry it's not due until next Monday!" I yelled getting upset at Darry for bickering at me about something this stupid.  
  
"Well your going to be busy all week and weekend aren't you? I have told you before I really want your homework done the first night you are free. You aren't going to want to do this all week and you are not leaving it to the last minute!" Darry yelled, not that loud but nevertheless getting mad. I didn't want to do my homework now; I wanted to do it later. But he was right and I knew it. I always put it off until the last minute.  
  
"Fine." I said giving in. I took my bag from Darry's hands and as if his mood suddenly changed he smiled down at me as I walked into the dining room. I sat down and opened up my math book to begin my work in Algebra. I was on question forty-six when Steve and Two-Bit busted into the room interrupting the almost silence. Two-Bit was swaying slightly showing he was slightly drunk. Steve looked stable but his eyes were blood shot and his face was red.  
  
"You guys want to come out with us?" Two-Bit asked slurring his words together slightly. Me and Shelby looked at each other.  
  
"Yeah sure," Shelby said, "Am I working tomorrow Steve?" Shelby asked.  
  
"Naw you only work um...weekends and...Thursdays" Steve said humming and fidgeting as if he couldn't stay still.  
  
"Yeah ok I will come too." I said getting up. Shelby was already at the door.  
  
"Oh your done your homework already Ponyboy?" Darry asked me drying of his hands. He knew I wasn't done. He always did that.  
  
"No...but Darry..." I began but Darry stopped me and pointed to the table. I sat back down at the table and picked up my pencil.  
  
"Shelby I don't think you should go either. They will be drinking and you don't handle hangovers all that well." Darry said forgetting he didn't need to nag at kids who weren't his own.  
  
"Don't worry Darry. I am just going out because I'm bored. After Saturday night I don't plan on doing any more drinking for a while." Shelby said seriously and with a loud laugh from Two-Bit as he swung his arm around her shoulder they were gone. Leaving me to do my homework. I moved onto the couch and lied on my stomach with my books piled around me. The TV was playing softly as I wrote in the dim bluish light of the TV screen. I felt my eyes getting heavy and was blinking to stay awake. I fell into a light uncomfortable sleep with my books on my stomach at around one in the morning.  
  
Suddenly I heard the door creak open and heavy footsteps walking into the house. I heard Two-Bit's hyena laughter and Shelby's small screams and laughs. I heard Sodapop yell for them to hurry up and other girl's loud giggles. I sat up slightly so I could see the clock; it was 3:30 in the morning. What were they doing here this late? Two-Bit walked over to the end of a couch with a girl kissing his neck and holding Shelby up under her armpits. She was limp and laughing with the other girls around her and Two- Bit. Two-Bit laughed loudly and threw Shelby down on top of me.  
  
"She's so blitzed" Two-Bit laughed "She had more than me!" He laughed loudly and harshly because of the alcohol and with that they were gone leaving Shelby on top of me.  
  
"Hi Ponyboy" Shelby said drowsily and slurred. I just looked at her. She began to kiss me and I could taste the liquor and felt it burning my nose. She began to kiss my cheek and then my neck.  
  
"Shelby...Shelby I thought you weren't going to drink..." I said sadly to Shelby. It was sort of disappointing that she drank again. She ignored it and kissed me again.  
  
"Shelby, come on Shelby your drunk." I pleaded with her.  
  
"Not really..." Shelby said running her cold hands up my sweatshirt. I kissed her back because I liked her. But I didn't want to do this when she was drunk. I tried to push her up by pushing up on her stomach and I felt a cold wet spot. She must have spilled alcohol on herself, I thought. She was shivering from the cold and I ran my hands up her arms, they were freezing because she must have lost her jacket. I pulled away from the kiss and I just wrapped her up in my arms she didn't object anymore, she struggled but then relaxed. The alcohol smell on her was so strong it was as if I smelt it from the bottle. She kept shivering and mumbling. I ran my fingers silently through her hair and then she suddenly got up and ran to the bathroom. I followed stumbling slightly over my books and papers. As the door swung open I saw Shelby leaned over the toilet, the contents of her stomach being forced into the toilet. I walked over and pulled her hair back behind her neck. I stroked her back absent minded, feeling worse and worse for her.  
  
After about five or six minutes she sat up and she was crying, she was pale white almost green but she was getting her colour back. Her face had broken out in a cold sweat and she was shivering so violently that her teeth were chattering. She leaned against the wall and shut her eyes tight. She was sliding down the wall because she couldn't hold herself up. I ran a face cloth through warm water and began to clean her face and she played with the hair on the back of my neck crying and sort of grinning at the same time. I realized she must have been so cold partly because of her sopping wet shirt. I hadn't realized it was this wet. I didn't know if I should let her go and change it herself. She could barely sit up let alone stand.  
  
"Shelby? Shelby I think you need to change your shirt..." I said running my fingers through her hair. She barely nodded and began to slide her shirt off. I helped her and discarded it into the tub for now. I noticed her black bra was damp too, but it wasn't that bad. I slipped my grey t-shirt off of my chest and over her head. It practically consumed her small figure but she embraced it. I took her arms and placed them around my neck; I scooped up her torso and legs and carried her into my bedroom. I set her down on the bed and she was almost immediately asleep so I pulled the thick cotton covers overtop of her and me. I wrapped my arms around her and she put her head on my chest. After her breathing was regular I fell into a peaceful sleep to the rhythm of her breathing. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Well what do you guys think? I really hope you liked it I spent almost three days writing and proofreading it. This was a really long chapter, but after writing this one I realized that I think every chapter will be this long. Thank you SO much to everyone who reviewed, I really loved them. It encouraged me to keep going with this story. Please review this chapter and tell me what you think, I was kind of sceptical about writing the whole drinking part but I think it sort of brought it together. Well thank you so much for reading! 


	9. A Day Alone

Chapter 9  
  
I woke up feeling extremely hot with all the covers on me. The window poured sunlight onto my white covers making them heat up like an electric blanket. I felt like I wouldn't be able to get up for the life of me. I don't think I will ever get up, I thought. Maybe I can just stay in bed until 11:00 at night then I can just go back to bed again. I sighed; I knew that was just my imagination running away with me. I threw the comforters off and I squinted in the sunlight that was in my eyes as I shifted. I let my face sink back into the pillow but this time I heard a muffled crinkling noise. I reached up with my eyes still closed and felt around until I found the piece of paper that was causing my sudden feeling of awake. I widened my eyes and tried to focus the neat handwriting in front of my eyes.  
  
Pony,  
Thanks for everything last night, even though I only remember after I threw up. I don't know what I did, but I was really drunk...sorry if I did anything...knowing me I probably did. I hope it doesn't make anything uncomfortable between us now. I borrowed a pair of your jeans, my skirt was really dirty. I put my shirt in the wash, because it was in the tub. I didn't need a shirt because I wore my DX shirt I left here. Call me later at Two-bits.  
  
Thanks again,  
  
Shelby xoxo  
  
I read it over a couple of times before I put it down on the bedside table. I sighed feeling more awake now and got up. I wasn't going to call Shelby yet, even though she would probably act like she didn't mind. Or just hang up and tell me it's too early. I walked out of me room and into the living room. It was empty which was surprising. It's not usually empty. I walked to the table looking for maybe another note explaining why our living room is empty. But there wasn't one.  
  
Sodapop and Darry were at work. I remembered. It didn't seem like Monday but it is. Steve would be at work and hung-over and Two-bits probably still hammered from the night before. In bed with a girl who isn't Cathy. Cathy lets Two-bit get away with murder. They have been on again off again for almost 2 years. But you can't tie Two-bit Mathews down; it was like trying to tell Dallas Winston what to do. Cathy knew Two-Bit slept with other girls all the time. But Cathy wasn't that innocent herself, I have seen her with her fair share of guys even when they were going together for real. I think it's kind of turned into a fling now. Something that is there in case you need it. For Two-Bit there were too many blondes and not enough time.  
  
I thought maybe I could go down and see Sodapop for a little bit then come back and call Shelby. Yeah that's what I'll do. I said and put a shirt on before walking out the door not grabbing a coat. Not thinking about a coat either. That is, until I got halfway down the street and realized I was shaking like a leaf.  
  
I walked into the store and saw Sodapop with his head against the counter. There was no one else in the small store and it was deathly quiet.  
  
"Hey Soda!" I yelled jolting him from his sleep. He sat up and I gasped. His hair wasn't as perfect as it usually was. Stray hairs were sticking out behind his ears and the crick of his neck. He was rubbing his eyes and I saw the bruise on his arm. His lip was split open and slightly purple. He pulled his hands away from his face and put them on the counter top to hold him up. He had a black eye and his eyes were as dull as Steve Randle's. He shook his head and didn't wave or smile just nodded.  
  
I felt my eyes become extremely wide and scared. I had never seen Sodapop like this. He didn't get drunk; Sodapop was the sober driver, who took care of everyone. Soda didn't drink.  
  
"Sodapop...what...what did you do?" I asked kind of like I was a small child who was lost at the park.  
  
"Nothing!" He snapped. "I didn't do nothing!" I just looked at him.  
  
"Soda then what happened? Come on you can tell me!" I exclaimed, almost in tears. Why had he yelled at me?  
  
"I'm sorry Ponyboy. Things just got really wild last night." He said with his head hung low.  
  
"Did you drink?" I choked out.  
  
"No Pony, I didn't drink. But I was the only one last night who wasn't hammered. We went to Dale's last night. Dale's the bar. When we were leaving to take Evie home and I saw this guy beating up a girl. I knew no one at that bar was going to give a damn. They were all smashed, so I walked over to the guy and told him to get out of here. But he just kept hitting this chick and she was crying and all that and then...I don't really know why but he hit me. I fought back and it turned into an all out fight. This guy was jumping bad with everyone. So now look at me. I got kicked out of the bar and that's when we went home. Ponyboy you can't tell Darry." He finished. Adding the last part as an after thought.  
  
"Did you come home last night?" I asked him, feeling a little bit better.  
  
"Nup...I crashed at Bobby's" He said.  
  
"You mean...you aint gonna tell Darry? Isn't he wonderin why you didn't come home last night?" I said hoarsely  
  
"No Pony its ok, I got it all planned out, but you gotta swear to me that you aint gonna tell Darry." He said quietly to me.  
  
"Alright, I promise." I said giving him a grin. He tried to grin back. "You should've seen Shelby last night...man was she hammered. She had so much to drink." Sodapop said after a few minutes of silence.  
  
"I did.When you guys brought her to our place." I said as a matter of factly.  
  
"What were you doing up then?" He inquired.  
  
"I wasn't up, I was going to lay over on the couch but Two-bit came in and tossed Shelby to me." I said bitterly.  
  
"Yeah, we felt real bad for her. She was really sick a couple of times too." Soda answered taking a bite of a candy bar.  
  
"She musta lost her coat. She was freezing. She threw up after about half an hour of being at our place." I assumed.  
  
"Well was she ok? I didn't know what else to do with her. I thought maybe Darry would take care of her not you. But thanks anyways. I know taking care of drunk's aint easy too." He said, as if he was ten years older than me instead of three.  
  
I sat around there just watching Soda until about 12:30. That's when it was starting to get boring. So I grabbed a Pepsi and started the walk home. As I walked in the door no one was there again.  
  
"I'm home!" I said out of habit, even though I knew no one was there.  
  
I walked in and sat down on the couch. The news was on TV. I always thought watching the news was kind of depressing. There was something about it that brought down my mood.  
  
I walked over to the phone and dialed the numbers of the Mathew's number fast from memorization. The yellowish plastic phone case was cold when I pressed it against my ear. I noticed the numbers on the buttons were worn away so only the 6 and the 8 were partially visible.  
  
"Hello?" I heard Ms. Mathew's hardened loud voice through the receiver.  
  
"Hi Sherri is Shelby there?" I said loudly.  
  
"Yeah...she's getting over her mighty hangover I guess. Hold on one second Ponyboy." Sherri said laughing and I heard the phone fall down to the table loudly.  
  
"SHELBY! SHELBY GET UP ITS PONYBOY ON THE PHONE!" I heard Sherri yell distantly.  
  
"Hey Ponyboy," Shelby said loudly into the phone. "What's kicking?"  
  
"Nothing much, just got back from the DX. You feel any better?" I asked. I felt myself smiling, so I cleared my smile feeling ridiculous.  
  
"Yeah I'm feeling a lot better than I did when I came home this morning. This hangover wasn't so bad you know...better than most." Shelby said happily.  
  
"Awesome...can I come and call on you then?" I said knowing that I would be able to.  
  
"Hell yeah...its boring down here come as soon as you can!" Shelby said and I heard her pop a bubble with her gum.  
  
"Kay, I will be there soon." I said happily.  
  
"See ya soon!" Shelby said and I heard her drop the phone as she hung up.  
  
I was too happy to see Shelby again to wait another minute; I grabbed a sweatshirt and ran out the door. I found myself running all the way to the end of my block before I slowed down to a jog. Then to a fast walk as I turned onto their street.  
  
I stepped up the steps I stepped up so many times before. But before it was for my best buddy and now it was for the girl of my dreams. The girl I always wanted to be with. The girl I...loved?  
  
I pushed the door open and took just a one foot step in. I bent over so I could see in the kitchen Two-Bit's mom.  
  
"Hey!" I hollered and I saw Shelby come downstairs. She flicked her hair behind her shoulders and jumped at me wrapping her legs around my waist. She leaned into me and I spun her around. She dropped down and smiled at me. She gave me another hug. She was still wearing my jeans I noticed because I had only seen her in skirts.  
  
"Come on...we can go out in a second I just have to get changed." She said and turned to go back up stairs. She ran into her room which was the second door on the right and she started searching through her drawers. Her room was bigger than Shannen's but not by much. Her walls were a dark blue colour; they were chipped and cracked though. She had a black and wooden guitar in the corner of her room. Her floors were as cluttered as Shannen's but with hair brushes, makeup and clothes. Her bed wasn't made but it was comfier that way. There was a garbage pail beside her bed and I figured she had probably vomited about 6 times in there and decided not to look.  
  
"I will be right back" She said slowly as she picked up her newly folded clothes and makeup bag. She hurried across the hall and into the bathroom.  
  
I sat there silently looking around her room. She had Tiger Beat Magazines littering the floor as well. She had about 6 posters of Elvis all hanging crookedly on her rundown walls. She had pictures of actors and models cut out and littering the floor. I sat there getting to know Shelby better just by looking around her room. I could've sat there all day on her bed by myself but Shelby ran into the room. She threw her makeup bag onto the dresser but she missed so it hit the floor. She just looked at it then at me.  
  
"Alright let's cut out." Shelby said and I stood up to walk out. She followed me and shut her door behind us. She hopped off the three steps and then ran into the kitchen while I got my shoes on. I heard Shelby talk quietly to Sherri then she ran out of the kitchen and into the door.  
  
"Ouch" She squeaked. But that didn't stop her she still ran out of the door and jumped off the porch but not at the steps she made it so she would land in the grass. It was a real nice day out, a summer day. She lied down and screamed loudly for no reason at all.  
  
I walked over to her and I bent down,  
  
"What are you doing?" I laughed. She didn't answer because her eyes were closed but she opened them and grabbed my shirt collar. She pulled me down and rolled over top of me. She stopped so she lying beside me, half on top of me and we just sat there. We didn't talk, just sat there soaking up the sunlight. I looked down at Shelby, she had her eyes closed and her chest was rising and falling to an unheard rhythm. Déjà vu, I thought. After watching her for a little bit I felt my eyes get heavy and I too fell into a light sleep with the sun beating down on us like a blanket.  
  
I wasn't asleep for very long before a truck passed us on the street so we were both jolted awake from our peaceful sleeps. Shelby sat up rubbing her hair on the back of her head. She looked at me and I smiled. We both stood up and brushed ourselves off. Then Shelby took my hand and we walked down the street. Shelby's hair was blowing wildly in the light wind. She wasn't smoking a cigarette even though she usually was when we walked. Today wasn't that type of day though...it seemed too nice out for a smoke.  
  
"We are going to your place?" Shelby asked me after we had got to the end of her street.  
  
"I dunno you want to?" I asked her, I didn't want to go home, no one was there anyways but it didn't really matter.  
  
"Well what time is it?" She asked me.  
  
"You're the one that has the watch..." I smirked at how ditzy she could be sometimes. She nodded frowning and looked at her silver watch.  
  
"Its...quarter to two." She said leaving her mouth in the perfect "o" shape as she looked around the street. There wasn't really anywhere else to go except our house. "Yeah I guess...its going to be mighty boring..." I said slowly to her.  
  
"What isn't boring around here?" She said rhetorically and took out a smoke. She sat down on the curb and laid back.  
  
"Let's just tool around all day...its pretty nice out." Shelby said with her eyes closed and exhaling.  
  
"Yeah sure." I said but I didn't sit down beside her.  
  
"Damnit!" Shelby yelled and pulled out a small tube with a gold band around it.  
  
"Pony can we go to Angela's? I forgot I had her lipstick and mirror still and she needs them back for her date tonight." Shelby said putting them into her pocket and standing up. She didn't need an answer she knew I would come. I stood up and followed suit turning the opposite way to the Shepherds house. The Shepherd's house was real run down. It had peeling paint and lifting shingles. The steps to the porch were no longer strong enough to stand on for long. You also had to the third step of five because it was barely there.  
  
Angela opened the door and when she saw Shelby she put a smile on. A smile I had never seen on Angela.  
  
"I'm glad you came or else I would have been forced to smack you!" Angela said playfully and opened the door farther to let Shelby in.  
  
"Dream on Ang." Shelby said and took my hand to lead me in. Angela's goofy looking smile was wiped clean when she saw me and she looked at our hands like we had just grown a third. She looked at Shelby with her regular look and then walked into the living room slamming the door. When we sat down she sat between us and put her hand on my thigh. I just looked at her but she was talking to Shelby, things were kind of weird.  
  
The next few hours were a blur of girl talk and giggles. I felt out of place and like I shouldn't be there. They barely looked at me the whole time. Except once when they were talking quietly and they both stared at me for what seemed an eternity and then looked at each other nodded and giggled. I reddened and I didn't speak the rest of the time.  
  
After Shelby and Angela were done doing Angela's hair and make-up for her date Shelby and I left. When Angela went to give me a hug goodbye she giggled in my ear. It was the sort of giggle someone like Shelby gave not Angela. She ran her finger down my spine and then let go and I walked out the door after Shelby.  
  
It was almost 5:30 when we finally left Angela's house. The sun was preparing to set in the West towards my house.  
  
"Ugh...my mouth tastes like a rotten ash tray!" Shelby said out of character spitting on the concrete. No wonder the way she smokes, I thought to myself.  
  
"Can we go get some bubble gum at the corner store?" Shelby said, her wide eyes pleading with me. I loved the way her eyes widened and looked into me.  
  
"Yeah," I said monotone.  
  
"Kay," She smiled and bounced down the street beside me.  
  
"My feet hurt!" Shelby complained leaning on my arm and pouting.  
  
"That's cause of those damn shoes you wear," I said as a matter-of-factly with a serious expression on my face. Shelby looked at me hurt that I didn't offer to carry her. She stuck her bottom lip out over dramatically. She jumped on my back and I didn't object. She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned her head against mine, slightly nuzzling my neck. I felt her tiny breaths on my neck and she whispered quietly into my ear,  
  
"Thanks" I felt her smiling against my neck which was real cute. I smiled in return forgetting she couldn't see me and continued walking to the store. When we got there Shelby hopped down off of my back and leaned into the door to open it. It didn't open and I immediately felt a smirk play across my face.  
  
"Pull" I said shortly and she looked at me and then the door. To her embarrassment the sign indeed said 'pull'.  
  
"Ha-ha" She said sarcastically and jerked the door open, trying to make it as though she was stronger than she was. She obediently walked to the gum aisle and started picking out her favourite gum silently. I walked and stood beside her and looked around. I saw the old store clerk on the phone. It was the same clerk who was here only a couple of nights ago when we were drunk and at the store.  
  
Shelby stood on her tip-toes and whispered into my ear, "I don't have any money..." She went back down and looked up at me. I shrugged I didn't have any money either. Shelby looked at the clerk who wasn't paying any attention and shoved the gum into her jean pockets. I tried to act casual because I had been with Two-Bit a million times when he stole and I knew the best way to not get caught is act normal. Shelby took my hand and walked casually out of the store as if she had actually bought the gum herself.  
  
When we got down to the end of the sidewalk Shelby stopped and took all her gum out shoving it into her mouth. It was way too much gum and she had a hard time chewing it. I laughed and she just stared me down smiling while trying to compress her wad of gum. Finally the gum seemed to have gone down a bit and we started the walk to my house.  
  
"I don't want to go to your place." Shelby huffed after a little ways there.  
  
"Fine princess," I said sarcastically, "Where do you want to go then?"  
  
"Let's go to the park for a little bit." She said looking up at the dimly lit street light that was the only source of light for the calm street. I nodded to her request and we began our walk to the park. I didn't want to go to the park where me and Johnny had the encounter with the Socs. I had way too many memories of that place that I didn't want to be unburied. So I took her over to the park near the vacant lot that was a bit more popular. But it was deserted none the less.  
  
Shelby and I sat on the old wooden bench and she looked at me. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her lightly on the lips. I had become slightly more confident over the past few days with Shelby. I was still nervous every second I was with her though. She leaned back into me and gave me the same passionate kiss that we had shared on the swings that night. That kiss that kept me thinking about her every second and left me wondering what she was doing every hour. Suddenly head lights blinded us as we pulled away from our kiss. We both jumped when a loud honk came from behind the head lights revealing that it was a car.  
  
I saw on the grill was the Mustang symbol that no greaser had ever owned on their cars, except if they stole it.  
  
"Hey grease!" yelled a hard cruel voice also from behind the blinding headlights. They stepped out to reveal three Socs of about 17 years of age. The tall dark haired soc was the one who had yelled the friendly greeting and they came towards us.  
  
"Yo Jack, Jack you gotta see who it is!" The dark haired boy yelled to a boy with golden blonde hair.  
  
"Shelby isn't it? "He laughed harshly, "Shelby I thought we told you to stop hanging around with these dirty grease balls? We don't like it when greasy broads don't take our advice!" Said the one I assumed was Jack.  
  
"I don't remember this chick, who is it?" Asked the other dark haired boy who was extremely tall and buff.  
  
"Dave, you moron that cause you weren't there!" Yelled Jack who smacked him over the head laughing through his cigarette that was blazing in his mouth.  
  
"I thought I told you guys to leave us alone and get a real life" Shelby growled. "I don't like it when ugly soc guys don't listen to me. I hang out with him because he's my boy friend!" She said mocking Jack who had said something similar. Then she wrapped my arm around her waist and looked angrily at them. Was I her boyfriend? I didn't recall this...  
  
"So first it's the dirt bag Curly Sheppard and now you moving onto...who is this anyways?" Asked the dark haired boy who yelled at us first. He leaned in closely and peered at me and I put on my tough face that we always used with Socs. "Well if it isn't Ponyboy Curtis...the one who killed our good friend Bobby. Your quite the legend there Curtis, you and your filthy dead friend." I felt my eyes fog up with tears of sorrow and rage swirled into one.  
  
"Yeah well you're quite the legend too...you and your trashy gang of Socs. Because everyone on the East side knows you're the ones who couldn't defend themselves and left their dead friend at the park. You're the guys who didn't call the fuzz until 3 days later because you didn't want to get caught being drunk. You left your friend dead on the street, and you don't care about nothing but yourselves." I spat every word that I had been thinking about for the past year, everything that has been bottled up inside me. I looked at the guys face and I could tell it had hit him hard. Like the secret had gotten out and they all knew it was true.  
  
"You got quite the mouth on yeah for a pile of skuzz you know that?" Jack said bitterly and shoved Shelby into Dave. Dave grabbed her arms and she started screaming and kicking like mad. I jumped at him but the other two held me back. I fought all my might but they had me down in a second. I was going wild too kicking and punching thin air and feeling cigarette ashes being dropped onto my skin stinging like wasps. I sat there pinned to the ground gasping and wheezing. My hand was gripped tightly on Jacks wrist and he couldn't get it off because he was holding me down with the other arm. They were hitting me non stop and I felt my cheeks beginning to swell and my lip being split.  
  
The golden haired boy swung madly at my face and I felt his knuckles hit me with a hard blow jerking my head back and giving me whiplash. I wiggled my one arm loose and punched Jack so hard that I saw the blood spurting out and onto his light blue sweater. He cursed loudly and smacked me across the face and I felt it heat up where he had hit me. I sat up because of all the commotion with the bloody nose and my adrenaline rush had given me the heads up. I saw a quick glance of Shelby and Dave. Dave had one hand up Shelby's shirt while Shelby fought madly to get loose. She smacked him non stop and eventually he swung his hand hard so it collided with Shelby's face. She began to cry and he did it repeatedly. That was it, I exploded with anger. I stood up and kicked the golden haired boy in the face twice then I pulled him up and gave a hard upper cut to his stomach. He crouched over for a split second and then punched me again. I staggered backwards but caught myself before I fell down. I punched him hard enough to knock him backwards and then he landed on top of Jack who was nursing his arm and nose. He hit him and cracked their heads against each other. I stepped on Jack so he was knocked out of his breath and then kicked him in the ribs.  
  
I didn't waste any time I ran over to Dave and Shelby. Dave already had Shelby pinned against the wall groping her and I saw her face drenched with tears and redden from the slaps. I punched him square between the eyes. When he fell backwards I got on top of him and punched him non stop. Not caring whether he would live or not. I just kept punching, not knowing if I should stop. He got a few punches in making me taste the blood in my cheeks again but I finally punched him hard enough to let him know we wanted the out of here. I grabbed the smashed bottle that was lying too close for comfort to us. I raised it and stepped off him gingerly.  
  
He stood up and staggered over to his friends he helped Jack up and then he took a hold of the dark haired boys light blue sweater. He pulled him up and they walked back to the car.  
  
"DON'T THINK THIS IS OVER GREASE!" He yelled as he pulled away. I turned to Shelby and she was on her knees crying into her hands. I hated them for doing that to Shelby; I walked over and flopped down beside her.  
  
She looked up at me, and I must have looked horrible because she gasped and started bawling again. She grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me in closer and practically on top of her. She kissed me more and more passionately even though sobs were making her breathe heavily and difficultly. I wrapped my arms around her waist while we were practically lying down. I could taste the blood in my mouth and I wondered if she could. She probably wouldn't have continued kissing me, Shelby didn't like blood much.  
  
"Ponyboy...Pony?" She sobbed after pulling away but not sitting up. She was crying and I looked into her eyes. This time more deeply than ever. Her eyes we like a sunset of green and honey. Her eyes were a vivid green but from far away appeared brown because of the freckles of brown that dotted her eyes close the pupil. Her eye lashes were stuck together from crying and she fluttered them softly.  
  
"Pony... I do want you to be my boyfriend." She smiled through her tears and we kissed again just as long as last time. That was our first kiss as boyfriend and girlfriend. I knew when she said that that we were going together now; just by the way she said it. Of course she didn't need an answer from me; she was Shelby, the girl I loved. After our extra long kiss she stood up with me and looked over my cuts sweeping away blood and kissing bruises. Her face was red and slightly bruised from the slaps but besides that she was fine. I however was a different story.  
  
When we walked into the house the whole gang was yelling at us immediately demanding things we weren't ready for, firing one question after another. When they actually took a good look at us though everyone stopped except Darry who was turning an odd shade of red from the rage he was exposing.  
  
"What the hell did you two do?! Do you know how long we have been waiting for you; you could have gotten yourselves killed! No one has heard from either of you since two o'clock and now its 1:00! Where the hell have you been?!" Darry yelled slamming his fist upon the table about six times. Two- Bit also looked slightly mad and it was his turn now.  
  
"Shelby what the hell have you done?! Every friggen time you go out with Pony one of you get hurt and it's usually you! Why are you spending so much god damn time with him anyways?! You'd think you were attached by the hip! You can't stay out of trouble for more than a god damn day after mom takes you in and everything!" Two-Bit was raging now, I didn't feel safe with a mad Two-Bit because I had never seen it before. He was as mad as Darry and he had stamped his foot for a substitute of Darry's fist.  
  
"Pony what the hell did you let anything happen to her for?! You two are never going out any where alone again unless one of us is with you! I'm tired of all this god damn crap that's being pulled! That's it you hear me? No more!" He yelled so loud that I felt like crying Shelby wasn't crying but she was on the verge. Her eyes were cloudy and glazed, she looked at me and then back at Two-Bit.  
  
"Jesus Christ Two-Bit! You shouldn't have the god damn guts to yell at Pony! After he just saved me from a couple of Socs. Look at him compared to me! I'm fine, he's not! You wanna know why me and Pony spend so much god damn time together now?" Shelby screamed loudly and when it was silent she continued but she screamed even louder this time, "BECAUSE PONYBOY' S MY BOYFRIEND!" Shelby yelled. Everything in the room was silent. I looked at Soda and Steve who had both stopped in the middle of eating to stare with wide eyes at me and Shelby. All eyes were on us and I hated it.  
  
Shelby was crying now and I looked at Two-Bit. His face was blank; his eyes were a plain old gray that you see everyday on plain old ordinary people. He looked at Shelby one last time, then at me. He opened his mouth and raised his hand. But instead of saying something he stopped closed his mouth and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him.  
  
Oooh a sort of cliff hanger! Thanks for reading, sorry it took me so long to update but I was having a lot of trouble writing this chapter even though I already had it planned out. Hey listen guys I REALLY NEED A GIRL FOR SODAPOP TO DATE! So if you have any characters, any at all, I would love it if you could review and give me all the info on the girls. She needs to be nice too, cause Sodas too good for a mean girl. So thanks a bundle and please review for me! 


	10. Nothing This Right Can Be Wrong

> Chapter 10  
  
Shelby ran to the door frame and screamed loudly, "TWO- BIT! Two-Bit I'm sorry!" She sobbed into the darkness. But we all knew it was no use when we heard his old cars noises burst into the sudden silence of the house.  
  
"Two-Bit!" She cried, barely being able to cough it out through all of the tears. She ran outside and I followed, I could feel Steve, Soda and Darry follow. Shelby was standing on our front lawn staring at the shrinking tail lights of his car. She burst out and dropped to her knees. I fell down beside her and wrapped my arms around her, Sodapop dropped down on the other side and I felt his arms around her too. Darry dropped behind her and me and wrapped the two of us up in his strong arms. The three of us were sitting there like that; I felt a wet spot on my shirt from Shelby who was sobbing into my chest. Steve ruffled Shelby's hair.  
  
"It's gonna be okay kiddo," Steve said to Shelby. Shelby nodded but didn't look up, or stop sobbing for that matter. "I better go see how he is..." Steve mumbled and looked at us one last time before he turned and got into his car. Darry scooped Shelby up and Sodapop and I backed off so he could pick her up. She was still sobbing and gasping for breath.  
  
"I should just go home...I'm screwing everything up... and now Two-Bit!" She screamed, not making much sense and pointing down the street to where Two- Bit had fled. When we walked into the house Darry watched as Shelby and me kissed and hugged as she sobbed into my chest.  
  
"We'll talk about this tomorrow." Darry whispered to me as him and Sodapop went to bed. "You two can talk for ten minutes then I want you to go to bed." He shut the lights off and I led Shelby over to the ramshackle couch which we both flopped down on. Shelby lied down across my lap with her head on the armrest. My face was relatively close to hers and she was talking to me quietly twirling her fingers in my hair.  
  
"You know Two-Bit has treated me more like a father than anyone I have ever known. Alls he did since I got here was tried to make me comfortable, get me feeling like Tulsa was home and look what I put him through!" Shelby hissed looking at me with her eyes wide and glazed with tears. I stroked her cheek with my thumb.  
  
"Now I aint got nowhere to stay either," She said with a huff. "You know you can always stay here..." I began but was cut off by Shelby again. "Ponyboy don't say I can stay here...cause yeah I can stay here but this isn't my home...it can be my house but it just aint my home. I belong with my real family, and as of now the only real family I got is the Mathews." Shelby said, I could tell her eyelids were getting heavy and she was beginning to doze off.  
  
"Its going to be okay Shelby, I promise." I said after I had gotten up and laid Shelby down on the thin pillow Darry had left out. I combed her hair back with my fingers and kissed her lightly on the lips. I didn't know why I thought I could promise her this, because truthfully I didn't know if it would be okay. But I knew I couldn't let anything more happen to her. I shut off the last light in the house and climbed into my springy bed beside Sodapop who was already dead to the world.  
  
I felt myself being stressed thinking and trying to comprehend at what had just happened. Two-Bit was mad at us...Two-bit! The best buddy you ever had, the coolest, most laid back guy you could meet. He was smooth and didn't care about anything because it was all one big joke. Shelby was different, maybe Two-Bit joked with Shelby but when we walked in the house I saw the look that was in his eyes. It was the same look that I hadn't seen in Darry until the night we were in the hospital with Johnny and Dally. I saw the look he had given Shelby when she said we were dating, like he was hurt. Like someone had just slapped him across the face.  
  
I know now that Shelby was way more to Two-Bit than just his kid cousin, who tags along and he can cut up every time he gets the chance...Shelby was more to him that any of the gang could tell. I fell to sleep feeling restless and confused about what tomorrow would bring.  
  
"Ponyboy, Pony get up now!" I heard being screamed into my ear, I tried to roll over to get away from the deathly voice but I realized the voices hands were shaking me back and forth and keeping me from rolling away.  
  
"Alright...I'm up." I growled even though I had no intention of getting out of my warm bed.  
  
"Ponyboy get up, you've slept in enough and we need to talk before Shelby wakes up." I opened my eyes to find myself face-to-face with Darryl.  
  
"Now?! Shelby doesn't get up this early!" I mumbled. Darry rolled his eyes and grabbed my arms pulling me up and out of bed. He practically dragged me out of the room and into the kitchen where I seated down on the opposite side of Darry and Sodapop with both of them looking at me.  
  
"Jesus Christ Ponyboy!" Darryl hissed at me. I just looked at him sadly. I didn't feel guilty and I couldn't believe that they were doing this to me. I dug my finger into a missing chunk in our table, which was suddenly interesting to me.  
  
"Didn't you think about this at all Pony? I don't even think you are thinking about this now...Shelby is Two-Bit's cousin. She's down here with him, not you. Two-Bit just wants to spend time with her and keep her safe; you guys just can't date after what happened last night." Darry said looking down at the table and then up at Sodapop who looked as though this was his fault and he was about to bawl.  
  
Shelby walked into the kitchen and smiled. She ruffled her hair, "Hey boys," She greeted us.  
  
Darry smiled and nodded then he wiped it clean and cleared his throat,  
  
"Err...sit down Shelby" Darry said. Shelby looked at Sodapop and then at me and sat down. She smiled at me as she sat down. She turned to Darry.  
  
"I reckon this is about last night huh?" Shelby said seriously.  
  
"Yeah... I was just telling Pony some stuff. I think you should go apologize to Two-Bit and...I think it would all be resolved quicker if you and Ponyboy stop dating before you start." Darry said looking at Shelby trying to hide how bad he felt inside.  
  
"What why? I have nothing to be sorry for, teenagers date, and I like dating Ponyboy...doesn't he want me to be happy?" Shelby asked, now digging her nail into a chip in the table as well, but keeping her eyes steadily on Darry.  
  
"Shelby...you and Pony don't even know each other, you don't have to date, and you're not old enough to know that it's Ponyboy that makes you happy..." Darry said as if he knew everything.  
  
"Neither do you, it is Ponyboy, I'm never as happy when I'm not with him." Shelby said slowly.  
  
"Listen you two are being ridiculous! You're just two fourteen year old kids looking for fun, but this isn't a love story its real life your going to forget about this after a week. Its just puppy love and this is one of our best friends we are talking about!" Darry said getting mad again. I couldn't believe he was acting like this; he had no idea how we were feeling.  
  
"Come on Dar, you don't know if that's all this is..." Sodapop said defending our love. Darry gave Sodapop a look that said, 'Come on! You're kidding me!'  
  
"He's right Darry, we aren't just kids anymore! Look at Sodapop; he started dating Sandy when he was fifteen!" I yelled pointing at Sodapop.  
  
"Yeah and look how that turned out!" Darry screamed. I felt hurt by that and so did Soda. I saw it in his eyes, but he was grown up now and he knew it didn't turn out as planned.  
  
"Just stop it...this is enough. If you think you're grown up now then you should handle this like adults and with responsibility. No more of this 'love' junk, this stops here and I don't want to bring this up again!" Darry yelled. How could he try and ruin my life like that?  
  
"No Darryl! It doesn't end here. Shelby makes me happy and I haven't been happy for a long time now, you know that! I know that deep down you can tell this is more than puppy love, you just always want everything to stay the same, and you never want change. But things are changing Darry and they are changing for the better! After Dally and Johnny died I never thought I could be happy again. I thought life was just going to get worse, and I know you and Soda were thinking the same thing! Then Shelby came and I felt happy, happier than I ever thought I would be again. Life is finally starting to come back together and you're going to try to take Shelby away. But I love her and I'm not letting you! So stop it, JUST STOP!" I yelled and I had a hard knot in my throat that was make my eyes sting and I was afraid to swallow. I couldn't take the stares anymore and I could hear Shelby sobbing again beside me. I took her hand and yanked her up as I ran out the door.  
  
I didn't know where I was going and to tell you the truth I didn't care. Shelby was too special for me to lose and I wouldn't let them take her away. We ran all the way around about 4 blocks before Shelby let go of my hand.  
  
"Please Pony just stop!" Shelby sobbed. She was crying real hard and she was shivering because I hadn't realized how cold it was outside since I was running. It must have been hard for her to run that long, I always ran about that long with track and even I was out of breath. She looked at me gasping, coughing and crying all at once. She was sweating but I could tell it was a cold sweat.  
  
"I'm...I'm sorry." I stuttered chattering, "I-I-I don't know why I ran out of the house...I wasn't thinking I guess." I managed to get out. Shelby just looked at me, her eyes were blood shot and I suddenly realized how young we really were. I saw us how the adults around here saw us. As two kids not really knowing what we were doing. Young and naïve. We were outside by ourselves now and we had nowhere to go unless we give up on dignity and just go back to my house.  
  
I walked over to sit next to Shelby up against the chain link fence. We didn't talk for a long time, we just sat there. I could hear Shelby's breathing slowly become more and more regular until I couldn't hear it anymore.  
  
"Have you noticed that things always seem to be getting harder and harder for us?" Shelby looked over at me, when I didn't answer, just looked, she continued, "It shouldn't be this hard. Nothing should be this hard." She finished and looked ahead at the empty road. I reached into my back pocket and I felt my wallet. I remembered I had some money in there still from the movies.  
  
"You wanna get something to eat?" I offered. I didn't know about her but I was starving.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Shelby said and stood up at the same time as me.  
  
"Wanna go to Jacks?" I asked her. It was a usual greaser hangout. Partly because of the good food, and partly because of the cheap food.  
  
"Yeah" Shelby said shortly, rubbing her bare arms and staring at a group of teenagers. There were two tall guys and one shorter one. I had seen all three of them from school before. The shorter and tallest ones were both wearing leather jackets and the other was wearing a jean jacket. They had the slouches of greasers and the look to them. Each of them had a cold hard laugh and dark hair. They were all smoking and leaning against a beat up car with the hood dropped low.  
  
"I'm going to go ask those guys for a smoke, I will be right back." Shelby said slowly and left me near the end of the parking lot to run over to the guys. I heard them yell something at her as she came at them and the tallest one wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Shelby squirmed out from under the arm and got a smoke from the smallest one. He smirked at her as he handed her one and I think he muttered something to her and gestured over to me. I heard Shelby speak and then the rest of them laugh. Shelby turned and stalked away, when she got to me she grabbed the back of my neck and kissed me intensely. Leaning back slightly and I felt all eyes on us. When Shelby let go she stood up and looked how I felt. Where had she learned to kiss like that?  
  
I felt woozy on my feet and my head was light and spinning. I had a weak smile on my face that probably looked as ridiculous as I felt. Shelby was wearing a similar grin. She looked back at the boys faces and then back at me. I was still floating on air as we setting off to Jacks with our fingers linked together. Her small feminine ones tangled with my long clumsy ones.  
  
I felt more nervous than I ever had with Shelby. Maybe because before we were just hanging out and now we were on a date. Well not officially, but it sure felt like one, especially after that kiss.  
  
When we got in I could feel the smoke enclose me, even though it was pretty much deserted it was still smoky. Sure I smoked too, but this was too much.  
  
I led us to a two seated table near the window where the sun poured into the dirty windows and tables. Even though we were supposed to go up and but the food I really didn't feel like getting up again yet. I just wanted to sit here and relax. Because this, surprisingly was the most relaxed I had been since when me and Shelby walked to the park. Shelby was looking at me, I could tell out of the corner of my eye. I looked over at her and she looked away blushing. I started looking at her again, but pulled my eyes away before she noticed.  
  
"Well whadda ya want?" I asked her finally, knowing I would get what Dally used to bring us all the time, bacon sandwiches.  
  
"Um..." Shelby pondered, squinting to see the price sign. "A chocolate shake," She finally answered. I thought about questioning it, but decided better of it and I walked over to get some.  
  
I looked back at Shelby who was slouched in her chair looking at her nails, when I was in line and I wondered too why things were so hard for us. I wasn't going to give in and let Darry win. I wasn't about to let his words twist me into believing that we were in the wrong. Nothing that felt so right can be wrong.  
  
...sorry for the shortness. I just really needed to get that chapter over with so I can get into the next chapter, which is going to be really long from the looks of it. I am currently writing it, I'm not sure how long it's going to take, hopefully not too long kay? I love you all who reviewed my last chapter( pretty please review this chapter, it really makes it all worth while!


	11. Again

Chapter 11

After that me and Shelby just hung out at Jacks all day. Buying drinks every once in a while so that Jack wouldn't ask us to leave. a lot of people came in around lunch time. Some I would have liked to talk to, but just didn't have the energy. So me and Shelby sat in silence, watching the crowd fade in and out. She reached out for my hand which was resting on the table while I smoked with the other. She entangled her fingers in mine and stroked my thumb with hers.

"Ponyboy? Can we leave now...just to talk and stuff." She said kind of quietly. I nodded and stood up with her. We pushed through the heavy door and started through the parking lot.

"Anything specific you'd bin' wanting to talk about, cause I was kind of wondering where we were gonna stay." I said after a few moments of silence.

"No, Ponyboy, you don't need a place to stay. But I'll find somewhere." She replied.

"I cant go home!" I cried. I was over-exaggerating, but I didn't want to go home and face my problems...I wanted to run from them.

I looked at Shelby and she looked real sad, like she was going to cry or something.

"Shelby..." I reached for her arm but she pulled away and shook her head.

"Let's..." She began, looking up at me, then looking away quickly, "Let's just go..." Shelby said continuing to walk. I sighed, and started to follow. I didn't push the subject until we were at the top of my street and she hadn't even looked at me once. I was sick of this ...sick of playing stupid games with Shelby. Sick and tired of having to guess what she was thinking.

"Shelby... look, stop ,just stop it." She kept walking. I wanted to yell at her, make her stop but I knew that wouldn't help.

"What?!" I yelled throwing my hands in the air, completely forgetting that I just decided this wouldn't help. "What did I do this time?! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I'm so stupid sometimes, I'm sorry I'm always wrong." I didn't know where I was going, but she had stopped moving and was facing me now. Maybe if I kept apologizing soon I would get the right one. "I...I'm sorry I don't always know what to do, I'm sorry I'm not so smooth with girls, I'm sorry you're in a fight with Two-Bit, I'm sorry you cant see your dad, I'm sorry I'm not a perfect boyfriend...and I'm sorry that I'm yelling at you right now." I said out of breath, very aware of all the people looking at us now. Shelby just looked at me for a second then did something that I didn't know what to think of. She grinned and looked down. I didn't know if I did something right or wrong, my mind was spinning.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry." She said swinging her arms around my neck and throwing her face into my chest. She was inhaling the cold air sharply into her lungs. I could feel her warm exhales through my T-shirt. I guess I must have done something right.

"Ponyboy," she sniffed, shifting her gaze up to my stormy, forest green eyes.

"Ponyboy, you and your brothers and Steve and Two-Bit have been through so much together after I left. And I haven't been here to help- at all. For me to show up and turn you against the people who love you the most is just so stupid and selfish of me. As of now, your family is more important than any silly girl." She placed her hands on my face and brought me down to her eye level. "So go home and straighten things out with Darrel. Two-Bit's stubborn, but Darry's gonna understand, I promise. Okay?" She bit her bottom lip, "For me?" Her dark eyes begging me, like they always did. Like all the girls did.

I kissed her lightly on the lips. That meant yes, and we both knew it. She smiled, I smiled. Then we both broke into laughter. I didn't know why...I'm not sure if she did, but whatever it was, it must have been funny. Because I was laughing so hard my abdomen was aching. I gave her a hug and started across the road to my house.

"I love you Ponyboy!" She screamed at me when I was on my doorstep. I turned to look at her, she looked real cute with her hair kind of messed up and wearing that over-sized leather jacket. She blew me a kiss, and I pretended to catch it as I walked into the house.

I breathed a sigh of relief, because it seemed as though no one was home. Then I stopped in mid- step because I heard the sound of water hitting the shower floor, then good old Sodapop belting out the words to a song I had heard before but couldn't name. I leaned against the wall.

Soda came out of the bathroom, clad in only a towel tied loosely around his waist, combing back his hair still singing. He hadn't even noticed I was there.

"Don't quit your day job buddy, " I said loudly from the other side of the room. He stopped and came running at me.

"Ponyboy! Ponyboy you're back! We thought you weren't gonna come back! Yihaw!" He said getting over excited again. He ran at me and pulled me tightly into a bear hug.

"Euuww! Soda, you're still wet! Get off'a me!" I screamed, out of breath from laughing and having the wind squeezed right out of me.

"I'm so glad you're back kiddo!" He said mussing up my hair before running into our room to get ready. When he came out, ready to make the ladies swoon over him as usual, he was looking confident. He had a nice shiner too. That wasn't unusual for him. Maybe that's why I wasn't smooth yet, I need confidence. Maybe I just wasn't smooth like Sodapop.

"I gotta get going, I'm going out with that girl from Dale's. I'll see you later though!" He said running out the door.

Soda had said they thought I wasn't coming back. Is this what I'm doing to them? We've lost so much and I'm not helping by acting so selfish. Maybe they thought I was going to run away like the time I had run away with Johnny. Not let anyone know where I was going, and just be gone. Scare the daylights out of them one more time, just for kicks. I thought sitting on the couch. But I wouldn't do that to them. I wouldn't do that to my family anymore, I was through with being the little kid always causing problems. I'm going to go back to the straight A Ponyboy who kept his mouth shut good and stayed out of trouble as much as he could. They won't have to worry about my problems anymore, I could handle my own life.

I walked into my room and laid on the bed. It was comfy and I was tired. I was out before I could have a second thought about having a nap.

I sat up quickly when the front door slammed shut.

"Anybody home?" Came Darrel's fatherly voice.

"Yep." I answered shortly. I yawned and then realized that silence had filled the house.

"Ponyboy?" Darry asked.

"Yep." I answered stupidly. I walked out of our room and leaned against the door. I didn't know if I should scowl or grin. It seems stupid that I was so confused of the atmosphere I didn't know what face to make. But it's true, because I didn't.

I walked out and we looked at eachother. No words exchanged. I was waiting for a big long, sentimental lecture, explaing how much he loved me and how much he cared about me. And how Two-Bit loved Shelby, and Two-bit was our best friend and we couldnt lose him. And how we would never fight again, even though we both knew that wasnt going to be the truth.

"I'm sorry." Was all he said. My eyes widened.

"This should only be between Shelby and Two-Bit, you shouldnt be dragged into it." I couldnt beleive he was apologizing to _me._ Maybe he didnt mean it but, hell, i'll take what I can get.

I nodded. I felt like giving him a hug or something but I thought it would make it a bit more sappy than it was. So I gave him a wide grin and threw myself on the couch. As I took a deep breath, relief filled my lungs.

Maybe everything wouldnt be so bad afterall.

"Hey Pony, d'you wanna invite Shelby over for supper?" Darry asked me after about half an hour. I whipped around.

"Really?" I asked him.

"Yeah sure if she wants to. Soda's bringing over his girl tonight too." He said, glancing out the window quickly. I was getting ready to call her when I realized I had no idea where she was. I was already halfway to the phone and I looked wildly at Darry. I didnt want to tell him I wasnt sure if Shelby even had a place to stay. It was starting to rain now too. Hard. So I backed up slowly to the couch and sat back down. Darry frowned at me.

"Arent you going to call her?" He inquired.

"Um...yeah. In-you know, a little bit, just later. Not now." I rolled my eyes at myself. Smooth Ponyboy. Usually I would've whipped something better up than that, but my mind was on Shelby. What if she hadnt found a place to stay, and was out in the rain right now. I almost thought about telling Darrel that I left her out there by herself but thought better of it.

I walked into my room again and looked int the mirror for the first time this morning. No one had mentioned it to em but I had one hell of a shiner. My right eye was bruised a dark blue-purple colour. It looked almost black actually. Even a little yellow by my cheek bone. The was some dried blood below my nose and my lip was pretty puffy. I was a mess, and looking at myself made me feel awful. But actually, I looked pretty tough. With my hair all messed up and greaseless, I looked like Dallas did after a fight.

I went into the bathroom and with a wet cloth, wiped the blood from my nose and the mud that was on my cheek for some reason. I greased my hair, but I didnt put too much in. I kind of liked the messy hair look now with my bruised eye and puffy lip. I was giving myself one last look over when the phone rang. I ran and picked it up, making sure I got there before Darry.

"Hello?"

"Hey Ponyboy!" Came Shelby's cheerful voice. It was always nice hearing her voice on the phone.

"Where you stayin'?" That's all I cared about right now.

"Angela's."

"Sheperds?" I asked her....i should've known really, what other Angela does she buddy around with?

"No the other one." She said, she was getting real sarcastic lately.

"There's lots of Angela's in Oklahoma, Shelby."

"Not in Tulsa there aint." She said cheerfully. I could hear yells behind her and then a beer bottle crash to the floor.

"You okay there?" I said quietly so Darry wouldnt hear me.

"Yeah...I mean, its not the greatest but I wont be here for too long...right?" She sounded sad.

"Right. Yeah it'll be alright in no time." I answered her slowly.

She exhaled over exagerratedly.

"Hey do you wanna come over to our place tonight?"

"Are you and Darry okay?"

"Uh, yeah." I said confused.

"So...hes alright with me coming over?" She said, she was skeptical.

"Yeah"

"Don't lie Pony." Shelby said, I almost gasped. I wasn't lying.

"I'm not!" I yelled.

"Come on... did you ask Darry?"

"Yes, I did. I'm not lying, not about anything."

She sighed. "I'm sorry Pony, i'm just a little worked up. Are you going to come and get me or should I walk over there?"

"No, I'll come get you. I'm coming now though okay?"

"Yep!"

"See you soon!" I said, but she had already hung up. It was pouring rain out, I could have asked Darry to give me a drive, but I really wanted to walk.

I started at a run over to the Shepherds. It wasnt that far from her place, and I thought maybe if I ran I wouldnt get too soaked, while I pulled my shirt up over my head.

I leaped up onto the front step and pounded heavily on the door.

"Just, come in!" Came a deep voice from inside.

I walked in and saw Tim Shepherd was the voice that had come from inside they're shack. Tim was on the couch with a trashy girl straddling him. Her hair was a fake blond, with dark, almost black roots that stuck out like a sore thumb. She had on a short leather skirt that, as I walked by, revealed her red panties that stuck out at the bottom. She was one of those fake girls that guys like Tim picked up in bars and dreaded seeing ever again.

"Is there a problem Curtis?" Tim said thickly, I jumped. "See something you like?" I just looked. It was the exact opposite that girl made me sick.

I walked into the hallway. A skinny hallway, with yellow stained walls. Dirty, oil handprints decorated the walls. I walked to the room, the second door. I heard Angela's voice.

"What about this one?" She asked, I walked in just then.

"It's perfect just like all the other ones." Shelby said dully.

"Hi...Shelby." I said, not very loud but it grabbed Shelby's attention. She turned quickly and smiled.

"Ponyboy?!" Angela gasped, she was standing there in only her bra and way-too-short skirt. Not trying very hard to cover herself from me. Shelby gave her a tired look. I would barely have noticed that Angela was in the room. Because Shelby looked different and I couldnt keep my eyes off of her.

She had her hair pulled back, in a neat, high ponytail. I hadnt realize how long her hair really was. She had on a yellow shirt with a denim skirt. Yellow was her colour, I decided.

"Hi." Shelby said shyly. You'd think we had just met, and were falling in love all over again. She walked over to me, our eyes not leaving the others. We held a gaze and I realized I must not have ever REALLY seen her eyes before, because her long hair was always partially covering them. But there was nothing for her to hide behind. Or hide from.

"Hi" I repeated.

"Hi" She said, and we both laughed. She bit her lip still looking into my eyes like she could see more than just my gray/green serious eyes.

"You ready?" I asked her, swallowing.

"Yeah." She said, releasing her lip from her teeth. "I am." We walked out of the room, ignoring everything else in the room. She grabbed her purse from the kitchen counter and we didnt even glance at Tim. I'm not even sure if he was still there. I'm not going to lie to you, I didnt notice anything but Shelby. We walked outside into the sheets of rain. I'll tell you when it rains in Tulsa, it rains.

I lifted my plaid un-buttoned shirt to somewhat cover the both of us from the rain as we ran to my house. When we got near I noticed Darry's truck was gone. He must have gone to pick up Sodapop and his date because of the rain. When we got in the house and and realized the power must have gone out with the rain. Thunder rumbled loudly outside as we shut the door. Lightning lit up the room and Shelby and me met eyes again. She smiled at me.

"Wheres Darrel?" She asked looking around.

"Um, not sure. Probably picking up Sodapop and his date, they're coming over too."

"Cool." Shelby said sitting on the couch. "You met this girl before?"

"Nope, you have though." I said, Shelby had been with them when they went to Dale's. She probably wouldn't remember though.

"Oh yeah? Whats her name?"

"I dont know." I said, Sodapop hadnt told me what her name was yet.

"Oh." Shelby smiled and looked at me. Right now, i felt as if my whole life was Shelby. Nothing else mattered right now, i just wanted this night to last forever.

" I love you." I said before thinking. We had never said that to eachother before. I'd always thought it, but never let it slip out of my mouth.

"I...I love you too Ponyboy." She said turning her whole body towards me. I reached up and took her face into my hand, stroking her cheek. I leaned in slowly staring at her wide eyes, i watched them flutter closed softly before closing my own. When our lips finally met, it felt like a thousand volts ran up my spine all the way to my mouth. It was such a soft kiss, she must have noticed my lip was swollen. I brought my other hand up to the back of her neck, and i leaned back pulling Shelby with me. I had my back against the arm of the couch, which wasnt all that comfortable to tell you the truth. Shelby was leaning on me completely, with her arms folded between us. I brought my slender arms down around her waist, and pulled her up closer to me. She pulled her arms out from under her weight and ran them through my hair slowly then brought them down to my face. Her thumb brushed over my bruise and i sucked in my breath and yanked away from her. She opened her eyes and realized my black eye.

"Oh, sorry Pony." She said pecking my lips lightly.

"It's okay. It didnt really hurt." It did hurt. I wasn't going to admit it though.

"You know that was really nice of you. What you did last night. Thanks." She said. The little light that flowed in from the window shone on her face, making her apear perfect. I listened to the rain falling on the windows and the sound of our own breath.

"It was worth it." I whispered and leaned in for another soft, gentle kiss. She grabbed my hand and we locked eyes as she brought our joined hands up and brushed her lips against the back of my hand. She leaned her head down on my chest, looking up at me.

"Ponyboy..."She began looking down at our hands. "What do you want to do when you get older?"

"What?" I laughed. What in hell was she talking about.

"Like you know, i want to quit smoking, and stop drinking for good. Get out of Tulsa and get a real job...what do you want?" She said staring at our hands still.

"Well...i dunno. Get a job. Get a nice house. Marry you." I said smilling at her, she had her chin resting on my chest. It felt nice to talk about this. She looked up at me and smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Glory Pony, you must be picking up some charm from Sodapop huh?" She smiled and kissed me on the lips.

I heard the door open and Darry walk in. We both scrambled to get into sitting positions and look casual.

"Hey Dar," We both said.

"Where were you?" I asked him.

"Breaking up a fight." Darry sighed. Me and Shelby glanced quickly at eachother.

Great, just great.


	12. Different View

We knew what Darry was going to say. Who didn't? Two-Bit just had to ruin our night _again._

It wasn't even a big deal, really. I mean Two-Bit was sticking up for Shelby, but that's what he _should _do considering he is her cousin.

"Two-Bit and that tall kid I think he's with the Brumly boys."

I sighed and turned my head back to watch TV. Two-Bit was actually making me mad lately. He was just making everything thing worse…

"Why?" Shelby asked, her voice sounded hard, and thick with emotions.

Darry looked over at her for what seemed like forever then sighed and picked up my coat and a pair of Soda's jeans. See what I'm talking about? He's cleaning again.

"Darrel I'm so serious!" She said standing up; I pulled her arm so she would sit back down beside me. She let me pull her without putting up a fight so she fell gracefully beside me.

"Darrel…tell me…please?" She said turning her head around again.

"Okay Shelby, the guy was talking about how you were 'easy'" Darry said making quotations with his fingers. She looked over at me, I shrugged and she frowned and looked back at him.

"Well, the guy didn't realize he was talking to your cousin, and even though Two-Bit couldn't be madder at you two, he threw the first punch. And that's all it was it was just a few punches…" The lights were starting to flick back on as Darry yawned. They should be back soon.

Shelby tipped her head back closing her eyes. She got up and went to the door. I got up and stepped in front of her blocking the door. She gave me a look.

"Your not going to see him are you?" I asked her, I wrapped my arms around her waist. I leaned in to kiss her but she leaned back.

"Pony I got to. Aren't you tired of fighting with your friend?" She asked, while still leaned back.

"I don't know I guess…" The truth is I hated it, and It made me mad that I hated it, so I was always mad when I thought about it.

She pulled back when I tried to kiss her again. Ugh, now _she's _making me mad.

"Ponyboy I know you care just as much as I do. And I care a lot so I got to go."

"Okay," I said letting go of her, slouching myself down. That's it, today wasn't my day. I frowned and went to go sit on the couch again.

Shelby grabbed my shirt and pulled me back for a kiss. Finally, I thought. She was so great.

Darry pried our heads apart by pushing our foreheads away from each other.

"Aw come on Dar…" I said looking at Shelby smiling. She smiled back.

"None of that, especially not when I'm here. I get enough of that with Sodapop." He said disgusted and went to watch TV.

I took Shelby's hand and smiled, kissing her cheek lightly.

"Okay well than can I at least walk her over there?" I asked.

"Yeah," Darry said waving me off with his hand.

Shelby's POV (first and only time)

Ponyboy held the door open for me like he always does and I ducked as if trying to get away from the spitting rain. At least my hair was up so it would not look too bad. I never wear my hair up. I don't like my ears. Understatement alert. I hate my ears, partly because I've always wanted my ears pierced and my mom would never let me.

'If you were meant to have holes in your ears you would've been born with them' my mother's voice rang in my ears.

I used to hate it when she would say that. Roll my eyes and slouch.

Sometimes when Ponyboy looks at me, I'll think he's looking at my ears. I'm so stupid and self-conscious sometimes, but isn't every girl?

I used to have a bad habit of staring at myself in the mirror and cutting myself up about all the little things I wish I could change about myself. Of course, I haven't really had the time to do that lately.

However, even if I did have time I don't know if I would. Ponyboy makes me feel so great. Every time I'm with him, I feel so much better about myself.

Every time I look at him, I just want to let out an "Aw…" I don't though; he just always looks so serious. His big green eyes look like he always has a lot on his mind. It makes me wonder if he was like that before Johnny and Dallas died. In addition, his parents. I don't really remember him as a kid. Well I do but I hung out more with Steve and Soda since I was Two Bits cousin. They didn't much hang out with Ponyboy then cause he stuck around more with Johnny.

I love Two-Bit more than anything, but he needs to lighten up on Pony. He never used to be like this…Two-Bit should be more than happy for me, he knows that me and Pony have both had it rough, and for me to have had the worst time ever in New York and then come here and within a few days have Ponyboy I am way more than lucky.

I looked over at Ponyboy and thought about how much he looked like Sodapop. Ponyboy is a lot smarter than he puts out. I know he is but I always thought that maybe the guys made fun of his for it.

I took his hand; I love it when I do stuff like that and he looks down and blushes before smiling at me. There, he just did it. I smiled back of course and leaned into him. He gets all shy and anxious sometimes so I usually take the pressure off by taking his hand and stuff. I don't mind at all.

I had this tight feeling in my stomach. Sort of nervous/anxious. I didn't want to tell Ponyboy that I was scared that Two-Bit would just ignore me. Or even worse tell me he didn't want to talk to me anymore. If I could think of another relative I could go live with I probably would. What's keeping me here the most is Ponyboy. But I've pretty screwed him over too, isn't there some saying…if you love someone let them go? Well whatever I don't want to let him go, I don't have to. Yet.

"Shelby?" Ponyboy said as if it was the seventh time he'd called me.

"Hmm?" I asked snapping out of it seeing that we were here. My eyes, and ears, scanned quickly for any sign of Two-Bit.

"Are you okay?" He asked leaning closer to me. "You didn't say one word the whole time while we walked here.

"Oh yeah," I mumbled realizing he was right. I shrugged my shoulders "Yeah sorry Pon just thinking I guess" I grinned.

He didn't smile back; he does that a lot too. He doesn't realize it I don't think he just gets so into thinking.

I let go of his hand and walked around the Nightly Double looking for his car. Aunt Sherri's Car. He can be so friggen clueless it's _sickening. _My Aunt has to work all these damn bar jobs. I don't know how many, it doesn't matter because Two-Bit wont even walk to his late night parties. He shouldn't be driving anyways he's a horrible driver without 50 percent alcohol blood level which he seldom comes home without. It's not fair. Two-Bit makes it not fair. I should be allowed to date whoever I want. I _can_ date whomever I want. I'm not six I'm almost fifteen! Dating Pony shouldn't be a problem at all. He's Two Bits best friend he knows him better than I do. Well this thought kind of turned from Two-Bit being lazy to Two-Bit being way too controlling. This is kind of a contradiction…

Ponyboy and me were sitting down now on the ground up against the fence. It was still raining, and my hair was soaked with pieces now falling down and sticking to my forehead.

"Shelby?" Ponyboy said quietly, I turned to look at him and his head was down, his hair was soaked and messy. It was adorable like that. My nose felt cold and I was starting to shake. Ponyboy sniffed then looked at me.

"I…I don't think he's here Shelb…" He said looking around one last time. He was right. I knew he was right but I started shaking more as I do when I am about to cry. My throat got all clogged up as if a chip had gone down the wrong way.

"I-I" I chattered out, then I looked over at him and his eyes were so full of concern so in tune with me I wanted to cry, laugh and dance all at the time. I felt like I was going to start bawling and I threw myself into him, I buried my face into his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me in and warming me up. I melted into him and turned my head so my forehead rested on his neck. My ears and cheeks felt cold and, is if reading my mind, Pony pressed his face to the side of mine and kissed my temple so lightly I barely felt it. I smiled into his neck and I wrapped my arms around his chest. After a little while he sighed and started to stand up.

"Come on I'm cold," He said dragging me up with him and steadying me. I nodded and he wrapped his warm arm around my shoulders leading me the way.

I felt really stupid and naive. I thought I would be home in my bed at Two Bits right now. I really did. I wonder if Aunt Sherri has asked Two-Bit what happened with us.

"Do you want me to walk you to the Shepherds?" Ponyboy asked while he lit a cigarette. My stomach sunk. I forgot I had to go back there. Angela_ is _my friend but her family is insane. Curly's always giving me this creepy grin, Tim is with a new slut every few hours, I'm pretty sure their moms on crack, I haven't met the dad yet, and there's this other little kid running around and I'm not 100 percent sure that he even lives with them.

However, I looked up at him, forced a grin and nodded.

I was dreading when I got there, because when I did Ponyboy would leave and I would go in and be alone. Well not technically, I'd be with the Shepherds but Ang wouldn't be there and I'd rather be _alone_ then alone with Curly or Tim.

Nevertheless, it came fast because it isn't far away.

I stood on their old porch kind of like the Curtis' but hideously old and cracking. I stood on the step above him so that I was about eye level.

"Aw your hair…" I laughed sadly and pushed it off his forehead and smoothing it back. He grinned and leaned in to kiss me. It was slow, long and not long enough. I didn't even try to smile when he pulled back, because this was it. There was nothing left after the good night kiss except goodnight.

"Do you want to spend the night?" I asked quickly looking at his chest. I looked up at his eyes, knowing mine were probably making him feel guilty.

He shook his head slowly "Darry'd never let me." He shrugged.

"I know." I whispered. He smoothed my hair back now. His eyelashes were stuck together from the rain around his bruised eyes. He pressed his lips silently to mine.

"I'm sorry Two-Bit wasn't there." He whispered. I nodded. "Goodnight," He whispered again and turned to leave.

"Goodnight," I whispered thinking he wouldn't hear me, but he did and turned around and waved before turning the corner to head to his house.

I went inside after a little while just hoping for the best. Curly and this girl from school were on the couch.

"Shelby," He greeted me. I just hurried past and went into Angela's room. Angela was there but passed out cold, the room smelled like vodka and puke and sure enough beside her bed laid a garbage pail. I shook my head, peeled out of my soaking wet clothes, and changed into my nightdress. Slipping under the covers beside Angela I knew it wouldn't be long before she started to snore or wake up puking. So I tried to fall asleep fast, which wasn't a problem after my night with Ponyboy floated into my head and everything else floated out…

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Oopsies… didn't update for a long time again. However, I didn't get very many reviews for the last chapter and I got more for my other stories so I sort of forgot about this one I guess. I know I know, I feel guilty enough. I still need a girl for Sodapop to date if anyone wants to be in this story or has a character for me. Hope you guys liked it, that whole Shelby's POV thing was kind of a spur of a moment thing… tell me what you think. It was actually kind of fun writing as a girl for the first time. Hmm… anyways please, pretty please, review?!

Peace and Love Mercedes! xoxox0


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